The White House has responded to Ariana Grande after the star singer-actress ridiculed Donald Trump’s presidency directly to his supporters.
The “Wicked” star recently condemned the Trump administration’s ICE raids across the U.S., transphobic rhetoric and brought up the current state of free speech in a recent message on her Instagram story.
“I want to check in with Trump voters,” Grande, 32, wrote. “I have one very genuine question: It’s been 250 days. Now that immigrants have been violently torn from their families and communities have been destroyed, now that trans people have been blamed for virtually everything and live in fear, now that free speech is on the brink of collapse for us all — has your life gotten better?”
She continued, “Have your groceries gotten cheaper? Has your health insurance premium gone down? Has your work/life balance improved? Can you take a vacation yet? Are you happier? Has the widespread suffering of others paid off for you in the way he promised it would, or are you still waiting?”
White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai later issued a statement to Entertainment Weekly clapping back at Grande, using the lyrics to her own songs in the process.
“Save your tears, Ariana. Because President Trump’s actions ended Joe Biden’s inflation crisis and are bringing in trillions in new investments,” the statement read. “He even signed an executive order just like magic that paved the way for the FTC to crack down on Ticketmaster for ripping off Ariana Grande’s concert-going fans. Get well soon, Ariana!”
Grande has yet to respond but it was not the first time the top-selling musician has spoken out against Trump.
“Holding the hand of every person who is feeling the immeasurable heaviness of this outcome today,” she said after he was elected for a second time.