White House Answers Natalie Maines' Trump Jab With 'Peanut-Sized Brain' Insult
The Chicks' Natalie Maines told a New York audience she would now give George W. Bush a 'big wet kiss' by comparison with President Donald Trump. The White House answered with a personal insult — and the Texas-born singer's exchange is still drawing coverage as the group urges fans to vote in the midterms.
Natalie Maines, frontwoman of The Chicks, took aim at President Donald Trump on stage at New York's Beacon Theatre on Monday, October 12, during the band's "Taking the Long Way" anniversary tour. Reflecting on the backlash to her 2003 criticism of President George W. Bush, Maines told the crowd she would "never" give in to the critics who told her to "shut up and sing," according to Entertainment Weekly and TheWrap. "We thought that was the worst it could get. Now I'd give George Bush a big wet kiss," she said, adding: "Now we're ashamed the president of the United States is from the United States."
The White House fired back in a statement to Entertainment Weekly and Fox News. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said: "Natalie Maines is a despicable nobody who clearly suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has completely rotted her peanut-sized brain." A representative for Maines did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.
The exchange is a callback to March 2003, when Maines told a London audience, "We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas," as the United States prepared to invade Iraq. The comment brought a ban from country radio, boycotts and protests of the group's concerts, and death threats that required FBI intervention, TheWrap reported. The group now sells T-shirts carrying the new line, which Maines told The New York Times is its second-biggest seller behind the tour shirt, according to Entertainment Weekly.
There is a Texas thread to the story. Entertainment Weekly reported the group is urging listeners to vote for Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections, with Maines saying: "We're obviously very busy this month trying to get everybody to vote and vote blue, especially in Texas," and noting that Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa and Senate candidate James Talarico may make appearances at their shows. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
