Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem didn’t mince words this week — and country star Zach Bryan found himself squarely in her crosshairs. The former South Dakota governor blasted Bryan’s new song, “Bad News,” calling it “disrespectful” to America’s law enforcement and “a slap in the face” to the men and women keeping our borders and communities safe.
The controversy erupted after Bryan, 29, released a short demo of the song on Oct. 3, featuring lyrics that appear to mock police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. “I heard the cops came, cocky motherf–kers, ain’t they? And ICE is gonna come bust down your door,” the country singer croons in one verse. The song also laments “the fading of the red, white and blue,” but critics say it sounds more like a left-wing protest anthem than a patriotic lament.
Noem, who now oversees Homeland Security under the Trump administration, said she was appalled after hearing the track. “I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is — not just to law enforcement, but to this country,” she told conservative host Benny Johnson. “Every single individual who’s stood up and fought for our freedoms deserves better than this kind of anti-police nonsense.”
Noem’s comments came during a media briefing in Portland, shortly after federal agents arrested several illegal immigrants — including a suspected child rapist. She noted the irony of Bryan’s timing: while ICE officers were risking their lives rounding up dangerous criminals, a millionaire musician was taking shots at them from behind a guitar.
“I never listened to Zach Bryan’s music,” Noem added pointedly. “And today, I’m glad I didn’t. I’m proud I never gave him a penny to fund that kind of message.”
Instead, she praised artists like Jason Aldean, John Rich, Jon Pardi, and Kid Rock — singers unafraid to stand up for America. “Those guys know what it means to love freedom and respect the people who protect it,” she said.
Noem also called out Bryan’s hypocrisy, noting that while he rails against law enforcement in his lyrics, he still relies on police protection at his sold-out concerts. “That’s what’s so special about law enforcement — they don’t pick and choose who they defend,” she said. “They’ll protect someone like Zach Bryan, even when he mocks them. That’s the kind of character our kids should look up to.”
The Department of Homeland Security even fired back online, posting a video of ICE officers conducting raids set to the tune of Bryan’s hit “Revival” — a not-so-subtle reminder that real heroes wear badges, not guitar straps.
Bryan, a Navy veteran, tried to walk back the controversy by insisting his song was about “how much I love this country.” He told fans it was being “misconstrued” and that he’s “not on either radical side.” But critics say his attempt to straddle the political fence rings hollow — especially as his lyrics echo the same anti-police rhetoric pushed by the far left.
For Noem, the issue is simple: “You can’t claim to love America while mocking those who defend it.” And for millions of patriotic Americans, that’s a truth that hits home harder than any song lyric ever could.
