The White House recently went after musician Jack White after he criticized Donald Trump’s redecoration of the Oval Office, calling it “disgusting” and “vulgar.” Instead of brushing it off, Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung launched a personal attack, dismissing White as a “washed-up has-been” who supposedly has “ample time on his hands.”
That move backfired. White fired back on Instagram with one of the most detailed and scathing responses to Trump and his administration that we’ve seen from a public figure.
White listed off a long string of controversies and scandals from Trump’s racist remarks, his role in the January 6th insurrection, ties to Jeffrey Epstein, constant lying, and even his gold-plated tacky taste in aesthetics. What stood out, though, was White’s point that of all the serious criticisms against Trump, the White House chose to respond only when he mocked the Oval Office décor.
He wrote: “No, it wasn’t me calling out any of that, it was the f**ing DECOR OF THE OVAL OFFICE remarks I made that got them to respond with insults. How petty and pathetic and thin skinned could this administration get?”
White also accused Trump of “masquerading as a human being” and slammed his staff as “professional liar toadies” who disguise fascism as patriotism. He even mocked Trump’s self-branded products like steaks, vodka, and sneakers, saying his career has been one long series of failures propped up by grift.
For White, being insulted directly by the White House was almost a badge of honor. He summed up his stance by saying he isn’t a Democrat or Republican, but simply someone who refuses to stay silent when democracy itself is under threat.
His post ended with a powerful reminder: quoting Theodore Roosevelt, he wrote, “To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Whether you agree with White or not, his response shows how deeply some artists feel about the current political climate, and how easily the White House’s overreaction can give critics an even bigger platform.
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