Watch Jason Aldean Dedicate Performance of His Polarizing No. 1 Hit to “Friend” Donald Trump

Country stars began speaking out almost immediately following the incident that erupted during Saturday’s (July 13) rally for Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In Detroit, George Strait saluted first responders with an emotional rendition of “The Weight of the Badge.” Cody Johnson ignited cheers from a Chicago crowd as he railed against “division and hatred.” And Jason Aldean dedicated an entire performance to his friend and former president.

Country Star Expresses Support for Donald Trump

Jason Aldean has never hidden his support for former president Donald Trump. So it’s not surprising that the “Dirt Road Anthem” singer would have a few choice words after Saturday’s (July 13) events.

“What happened in Pittsburgh today with our former president, Mr. Trump, you guys know about this, right?” Aldean asked the audience gathered for his show at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey.

He continued, “President Trump’s a friend of mine so I want to send this next song out to him. We all know what’s going to happen come November, so it’s all good. Just goes to show you there’s a lot of bulls— in the world, and that’s kind of what this song right here was about, so this one goes out to the pres.”

The country star then launched into a rendition of his polarizing 2023 hit “Try That in a Small Town.”

Jason Aldean Would Like to Get Rid of Social Media

Fans have wondered why Jason Aldean isn’t more active on social media. The “Let Your Boys Be Country” singer would get rid of it “across the board” if he could.

“It’s gonna be a very unpopular answer, but I just think social media, when used in the right way, is great. Right?” he told Taste of Country Nights host Evan Paul. “When it’s used in the right way, it’s amazing. But, like anything, people take advantage of stuff, and they turn it into something it wasn’t intended to be.”

The “My Kinda Party” singer continued, “You see people, they just can’t get out of their phones… and they’re so oblivious to what’s going on in the outside world, it drives me crazy.”

King of Country George Strait Dedicates Emotional Performance to Law Enforcement Following Trump Rally Incident

Country music has a time-honored tradition of celebrating law enforcement officers. As the King of Country, George Strait has taken that role seriously. His 2019 song “The Weight of the Badge” is a testament to the “razor-fine line” that first responders walk every day. The lyrics took on a whole new magnitude Saturday (July 13) following the incident at Republican nominee Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The same night, Strait took some time out of his concert to acknowledge and honor the everyday sacrifices of law enforcement officers.

George Strait: “Thank You for Coming When We Need You”

George Strait was performing at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan when news broke surrounding the incident involving the former president. Footage of the “Amarillo By Morning” singer addressing the incident began circulating on social media Saturday (July 13.)

“This song we’re gonna do is especially for all you men and women out there who wear the badge,” Strait said. “Wanna say how much we appreciate you. Thank you for coming when we need you, when we call you. We appreciate that very much, especially after today.”

Strait paused as the crowd broke out into chants of “USA! USA!” Then the country music legend began singing “The Weight of the Badge.”

Written by George Strait, his son Bubba, and Dean Dillon, “The Weight of This Badge” offers a look into the lives and emotions of first responders: It doesn’t weigh a lot until you put it on / And the weight of it is staggering / Then duty calls each time / He knows he’s got to answer / And it’s all in the handling the weight / Oh, the heavy weight of the badge.

Fans took to social media to express their support for the country icon. “Damn strait!” one X/Twitter user wrote.

Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images