Jack White is a longtime critic of President Donald J. Trump and his administration, and the musician has even taken legal action against the politician and his campaign. The latest chapter in the saga of White vs. White House came earlier this week when the White Stripes rocker insulted Trump’s redecoration of the Oval Office, saying that it now looks like “a vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy, professional wrestler’s dressing room.” The barb elicited a response from Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, who told The Daily Beast that White is “a washed up, has-been loser posting drivel on social media because he clearly has ample time on his hands due to his stalled career.”
Cheung further defended his boss’ aesthetic choices, telling the outlet: “It’s apparent he’s been masquerading as a real artist, because he fails to appreciate, and quite frankly disrespects, the splendor and significance of the Oval Office inside of ‘The People’s House.’”
The war of words continued yesterday (August 20), with White sharing a lengthy statement against Trump and his administration on Instagram. White criticized Trump’s “blatant fascist manipulation of government, his gestapo ICE tactics, his racist remarks about Latinos, Native Americans, etc. his ridiculous ‘wall’ construction, his attacks on the disabled, his attempted coup and mob insurrection and destruction of the sacred halls of congress,” and plenty more. He went on to use Cheung’s words against Trump, writing that the president “is masquerading as a human being,” and “masquerading as a christian, as a leader, as a person with actual empathy.”
Several artists—including Margo Price and Michigander’s Jason Singer—have supported White in the comments on his post. “You hit a fuckin’ nerve ‘cuz they don’t put out statements this length for earthquakes and shootings,” Patton Oswalt wrote. “Keep going.” Cat Power’s Chan Marshall added, “LOVE YOU JACK❤️🔥.”