Country music star Zach Bryan is facing backlash after stepping directly into America’s political spotlight with a song targeting federal immigration enforcement. The 29-year-old Grammy-winning singer, who also served in the U.S. Navy, shared a clip of a new track titled “Bad News” on his Instagram page Friday — and it’s already dividing fans, sparking social media firestorms, and raising questions about where he stands in today’s deeply split political culture.
In the short video, Bryan stands alone strumming a guitar, his voice echoing over lyrics that take aim at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the state of the country during President Donald Trump’s second term. The caption under the post reads: “The fading of the red, white, and blue.”
Lines from the song include: “And ICE is gonna come, bust down your door / Try to build a house no one builds no more / But I got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone.” Another verse reads: “The middle finger’s rising and it won’t stop showing / Got some bad news / The fading of the red, white and blue.”
Reactions were immediate — and intense.
Some fans were furious, accusing Bryan of betraying his country roots and turning his back on the very law enforcement officers who protect the country’s borders. One user posted: “Zach Bryan just Bud Lite’d himself.” Another wrote: “Dear Zach Bryan, F** you. Sincerely, American Patriots. ICE agents risk their lives daily. And this is the song he released? Career over.”*
Dear Zach Bryan,
Fvck you.
Sincerely, American Patriots
ICE agents risk their lives daily. Violent leftists throw bricks at them, attack them, spit at them, even shoot at them.
And this is the song he released.
Career over. pic.twitter.com/uGjkdN4snv
— Kentucky Girl (@Notwokenow) October 6, 2025
So the narcissistic, recently divorced cheater who told a 14-year-old to get off his d*ck — Zach Bryan — made a song called “Bad News” bashing ICE and saying the red, white, and blue is fading.
Maybe the flag isn’t fading — maybe your character is. But then again, narcissists… pic.twitter.com/KEtgx2pIpo
— Aunty Kitty (@wake_up_girl_3) October 6, 2025
Zach Bryan cheated on his wife while she was deployed, so this checks out. https://t.co/4cx7xPqHl3
— TheTexasOne (@TexasRepublic71) October 6, 2025
Others compared the fallout to what happened to the Dixie Chicks decades ago when they criticized President George W. Bush during the Iraq War. “Zach Bryan just became the new Dixie Chicks,” one commenter claimed.
Another fan said: “We were just invaded by over 10 million illegal aliens and who does Zach Bryan cheer for? The illegals. I smell a boycott brewing.”
But not everyone reacted with outrage.
Michelle Kinney, co-founder of the progressive group Seneca Project US, praised Bryan’s decision to speak out. “F YEAH!!! Country singer and military veteran Zach Bryan drops new song criticizing ICE and the collapse of American democracy,” she wrote. “This moment calls for moral and artistic courage — MORE OF THIS!!!”
This marks a noticeable shift for Bryan, who has mostly stayed out of political commentary in the past. Still, he has occasionally offered insight into his thinking — especially after the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Bryan posted at the time: “I don’t support Trump or Biden but the man got shot in the ear, head… and then fist bumped in the air. That is sick, dude!”
He was also photographed with Trump at the Super Bowl earlier this year.
But Bryan’s admiration for left-leaning musical icon Bruce Springsteen may hint at deeper artistic influences. He praised Springsteen during a concert in New Jersey, calling him “one of the greatest men to ever exist.” Springsteen collaborated on Bryan’s 2024 album The Great American Bar Scene, and even gets a mention in “Bad News”: “The Boss stopped bumping, the rock stopped rolling.”
The release of Bryan’s song comes at a time when immigration enforcement is once again front and center. Civil unrest has erupted in cities like Portland, Oregon, where a judge recently blocked President Trump from deploying the National Guard. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut, in a ruling Saturday, said: “This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.” She described the protests in Portland as “small and uneventful.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s advisors are pushing immigration hard ahead of the 2026 midterms. Corey Lewandowski, appearing on The Benny Show, said ICE agents will be active even at the upcoming Super Bowl in Santa Clara, where Bad Bunny, another artist critical of ICE, is scheduled to headline the halftime show. “We will find you, apprehend you, and deport you,” Lewandowski said.
As for Bryan, his move into political territory may be just beginning. But in a divided nation — and a deeply divided music industry — his latest song has drawn a clear line. And fans, critics, and the country at large are all paying attention.
