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Natalie Maines, the lead singer of The Chicks, didn’t hold back in expressing her criticism of former President Donald Trump.
“Our democracy is vanishing before our very eyes,” Maines, 51, stated on Instagram on Monday, May 18. She shared images of Trump, 79, alongside photos of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021. “This ugly individual is using your gas money to support insurrectionists,” she continued. “But don’t worry, I’m sure posting selfies will solve everything.”
Maines mentioned that she had previously described Trump as an “ugly individual” in an earlier post that was reportedly removed from the platform.
“We’ll see how long this one stays up,” she added, urging followers to “repost and help keep the message alive.”
The Chicks made headlines when they took a public stand against then-President George Bush, an act that sent ripples through the entertainment industry and transformed the landscape of country music. Formerly known as The Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines, along with bandmates Martie Maguire and Emily Robinson, were dominating the charts in the early 2000s, having sold over 25 million records at that time.
Maines, who added a “free speech” hashtag, was supported by several famous faces in her comments section. Maren Morris and Busy Philipps both dropped “likes” on the post, while Sandra Bernhard issued a message in solidarity.
“Good to hear your voice, sister,” Bernhard, 70, commented. “You’ve always put yourself on the line for our country & that’s no joke.”
Maines and her fellow members of The Chicks have long been outspoken about politics. During a 2003 concert, Maines now-infamously condemned then-President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. The band’s music was subsequently pulled from many radio stations.
Donald Trump. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
“I definitely have a bad taste in my mouth about country radio,” Maines later told Us Weekly exclusively in 2013. “We did get supporters, but as a whole, the country music industry did not support us. Award shows would laugh at our expense. It was fun to hate us.”
Sometimes America’s sweethearts go sour. From Morgan Wallen to The Chicks, the biggest names in country music have been at the center of some major controversies. Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer found themselves in hot water in the early 2000s after sharing their personal politics on a public stage. While performing across the […]
Maines further stressed that she didn’t regret speaking her mind.
“To me, I was right from the beginning, because it’s my right as an American to speak up and question our President, have my point of view, have my opinion, question what I want to question, and say what I want to say about our government,” she told Us. “It’s very scary to me that people actually think we should just follow our leaders. If we can’t learn from our history, we’re nowhere.”
Maines and her bandmates, sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer, have since been vocal about Trump’s two terms in office. (Trump was elected non-consecutively in 2016 and 2024.)
The country band flashed a defaced photo of Trump, where the former Apprentice host wore devil horns, during a rendition of “Goodbye Earl” at a 2016 concert in Cincinnati.
Trump has not publicly reacted to Maines’ criticism past or present.