Neil Young has published a strongly worded new editorial criticizing Donald Trump, using his official Neil Young Archives website to address recent political unrest and reiterate his long-running opposition to the former president.
In the editorial, titled “It’s ICE Cold Here in America,” Young urges readers to “wake up” and describes what he sees as a deteriorating political and social climate under Trump’s leadership.
The post arrives days after a protester was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Minneapolis, an incident that sparked demonstrations in multiple U.S. cities.
“Today the USA is a disaster,” Young wrote in the post, which was published earlier this month.
“Donald Trump is destroying America bit by bit with his staff of wannabes…He has divided us.”
Young goes on to accuse Trump of fostering instability and using fear as a political tool, warning against what he characterizes as the militarization of American cities. “Make America Great Again,” Young wrote. “It won’t be easy while he is trying to turn our cities into battlegrounds so he can cancel our elections with marshal law and escape all accountability.”
The musician also calls for collective action, urging Americans to respond through nonviolent protest. “Something has to change this,” Young continued.
“We know what to do. Rise up. Peacefully in millions. Too many innocent people are dying.”
In the closing portion of the editorial, Young directs his sharpest language toward ICE, writing, “It’s ICE cold here in America.”
He criticizes what he views as expanded enforcement tactics under Trump, adding, “Every move he makes is to build instability so he can stay in power.” Young concludes by encouraging readers to act from compassion rather than fear, emphasizing “love of life” and “love of one another.”
The post is the latest in a series of public rebukes Young has aimed at Trump over the years. Despite Trump’s past praise of Young’s music — the former president told Rolling Stone in 2008 that Young’s voice was “perfect and haunting” — the artist has consistently objected to Trump’s political views and use of his songs.
Young’s criticism has also extended into his music.
Last summer, he released the protest song “Big Crime,” which directly references Trump and political leadership in Washington, D.C. The track includes the lyric, “There’s big crime in DC at the White House,” and was later covered by Yo La Tengo.
In addition to the political commentary, Young has continued to keep fans updated on his archival projects, including progress on the upcoming fourth installment of his Archive Series box sets, which compile unreleased recordings and historical material from across his career.
