Kristi Noem Slams Popular Country Singer for Criticizing ICE in Latest Song: 'Completely Disrespectful'

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem condemned country singer Zach Bryan for lyrics in his upcoming song "Bad News," which criticizes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, including lyrics that say ""The middle fingers rising and it won't stop showing / I got some bad news / The fading of the red, white, and blue."

Speaking on conservative podcaster Benny Johnson's show, Noem addressed the track, calling it "completely disrespectful." She also accused Bryan of attacking law enforcement officers "who are just trying to make our streets safe."

"I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country, to every single individual that has stood up and fought for our freedoms," Noem said. "He just compromised it all by putting out a product such as that."

She added that she has "never given [Bryan] a single penny" and now plans to support artists such as Jason Aldean, John Rich, Kid Rock, and Jon Pardi, "who know what it means to stand up for freedom."

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also posted a video on Wednesday featuring Bryan's 2020 hit "Revival" over footage of ICE and Border Patrol agents confronting protesters. The clip, captioned "We're Having an All Night Revival," appeared shortly after Bryan shared a snippet of "Bad News," where he sings, "And ICE is gonna come bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more."

Bryan weighed in on the song's controversy in a pair of posts on his Instagram Stories on Tuesday. "I wrote this song months ago. I posted this song three months ago as a snippet," Bryan wrote. "This shows you how divisive a narrative can be when shoved down our throats through social media. This song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything."

Bryan, who served eight years in the U.S. Navy, also said the song reflects "how much I love this country and everyone in it," adding:

"I'm not on either of these radical sides Left wing or right wing, we're all one bird and American"