Neil Young Slams Trump with Blistering New Song

Legendary rocker Neil Young is once again turning his guitar into a weapon — this time aimed squarely at President Donald Trump and his increasingly authoritarian grip on power.

During a Chicago soundcheck on Wednesday, Young debuted a fiery protest anthem titled “Big Crime,” a searing indictment of what he calls “fascists in the White House.” The full lyrics, posted on his website Friday, leave little doubt about the target.

“Don’t need no fascist rules / don’t want no fascist schools / don’t want soldiers walking on the streets,” Young sings, before hammering home the song’s central message:

“There’s big crime in D.C. at the White House…
No more money to the fascists — the billionaire fascists.
Time to blackout the system.”

A Warning Wrapped in Lyrics

While Trump isn’t mentioned by name, the song rages against his recent military crackdown in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., a move critics have compared to martial law. “Big Crime” calls for sweeping change, urging Americans to “get the fascists out” and “clean the White House out.”

In a statement accompanying the song, Young didn’t mince words.

“I love this country enough to fight for it,” he wrote. “We cannot stay silent while democracy dies in plain sight.”

A Longtime Trump Critic

Young, a dual Canadian-American citizen, has clashed with Trump for nearly a decade. He sued the then-candidate in 2015 for using his hit “Rockin’ in the Free World” at rallies without permission. While the lawsuit was dropped in 2020 after Joe Biden’s election, Young never softened his stance.

Earlier this year, Young warned fans that his outspoken criticism of Trump might carry personal consequences.

“If I talk about Donald J. Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who are barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket,” he wrote.

The musician also mocked Trump’s recent claim that his name “belongs on the Declaration of Independence.”

“Independence from truth, I guess,” Young quipped on his blog.

Tensions With Musk and DOGE

Young’s protest isn’t limited to Trump. He’s also taken repeated swipes at Elon Musk, who Trump appointed earlier this year to head the controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In songs like “Let’s Roll Again” and “If You’re a Fascist, Buy a Tesla,” Young accuses Musk of “selling out democracy for profit.”

Backlash, Rallies, and a Growing Movement

Young’s activism has made him a staple at progressive rallies. In April, he performed alongside Maggie Rogers during the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour in Los Angeles, where Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed an estimated crowd of 36,000.

“This is bigger than music,” Young told reporters after the event. “This is about fighting for the soul of America.”

Trump’s “Complicated” Relationship With Young

Despite the fiery criticism, Trump has often claimed admiration for Young’s music. In a 2008 Rolling Stone interview, Trump called him “terrific” and said his voice was “perfect and haunting.”

But Young isn’t buying it.

“If you respect freedom,” Young said recently, “you don’t cozy up to billionaire fascists and call it leadership.”

With “Big Crime” now circulating online, it’s clear Young has no intention of backing down as Trump’s second term continues to test the boundaries of American democracy.