Kristi Noem Rips Zach Bryan Over Anti-ICE Lyrics: “Disrespectful to Law Enforcement and This Country”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted country star Zach Bryan this week over his controversial new song “Bad News,” accusing the Grammy winner of disrespecting law enforcement and the United States with lyrics that appear critical of ICE.
Noem, speaking to conservative host Benny Johnson, didn’t hold back.
“I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement but to this country,” Noem said. “To every single individual that has stood up and fought for our freedoms. He just compromised it all.”
The backlash centers on a lyric from the unreleased track:
“And ICE is gonna come bust down your door.”
The brief demo was shared to Bryan’s social media on October 3, with the caption “the fading of the red white and blue.” The song references a grim view of America where children are scared, community life has withered, and law enforcement barges in with unchecked power.
Noem, a staunch defender of law enforcement and former South Dakota governor, slammed Bryan for releasing such a track while benefiting from police protection at his concerts.
“That’s what’s so special about law enforcement,” Noem said. “They’ll even defend people who won’t stand up for them. That’s who I’ll tell my grandkids to look up to.”
“Glad I Never Gave You a Penny”
Noem said she was never a fan of Bryan to begin with, and that this song solidified her stance.
“Zach, I didn’t listen to your music. I’m happy about that today,” she said. “Glad I didn’t waste any money on Zach.”
Instead, she praised country music stars like Jason Aldean, John Rich, Jon Pardi, and Kid Rock — “those guys know what it means to stand up for freedom.”
Noem’s remarks came shortly after she held a press briefing in Portland where DHS announced the arrest of multiple illegal immigrants, including an accused child rapist, in a recent ICE operation.
DHS Trolls Bryan, Singer Fires Back
Adding fuel to the fire, the Department of Homeland Security posted a video of ICE agents conducting raids, using Bryan’s own hit song “Revival” as background music — a pointed shot at the singer’s perceived hypocrisy.
Bryan, a Navy veteran, responded on Instagram late Tuesday with a lengthy message trying to cool tensions.
“The song is about how much I love this country and everyone in it more than anything,” he wrote. “When you hear the rest of the song, you will understand the full context that hits on both sides of the aisle.”
Bryan insisted he wasn’t taking a political stance but expressing frustration as an average American.
“I served this country. I love this country,” he said. “I wasn’t speaking as a politician… just a 29-year-old man who is just as confused as everyone else.”
He acknowledged the uproar surrounding the demo had left him “embarrassed” and “kind of scared.”
“Left Wing or Right Wing, We’re All One Bird”
While Noem and others saw the lyrics as a clear dig at law enforcement, Bryan said the full song is meant to express a shared sense of disillusionment in a deeply divided nation.
“Left wing or right wing, we’re all one bird and American,” he wrote. “To all those disappointed in me on either side… just know I’m trying to do my best.”
Bryan admitted the past few months of scrutiny had taken a toll.
“I feel like I’ve tried my hardest in so many ways and it’s so hard to see where my bearings even are anymore,” he wrote. “Been falling off a cliff while trying to grow wings at the same time.”
Whether Bryan’s full version of “Bad News” will ease tensions or deepen the divide remains to be seen. But for now, the clash between a country star and a cabinet secretary is the latest flashpoint in a culture war that shows no signs of slowing down.