Brandi Carlile has hit out at Donald Trump after a huge live show in Minneapolis, and said that those who voted for him have been “scammed”.
- READ MORE: Soundtrack Of My Life: Brandi Carlile
The comments come as the singer recently took to the stage at the Target Center in Minneapolis as part of her ‘Human’ arena tour.
The dates come in celebration of her 2025 album ‘Returning To Myself’, and the stop in Minneapolis was slightly different to the rest of the tour itinerary – dubbed ‘Be Human: A Concert for Minneapolis’, globally livestreamed, and raising money for the Advocates for Human Rights.
According to Rolling Stone, the gig raised over $600,000 (£444,000) for the organisation, and also saw Carlile take to the stage to call out the actions of ICE in the city – which have led to the deaths of civilians Reneé Good and Alex Pretti.
“You have been through so much,” she told the audience, before speaking to Rolling Stone backstage about her issues with the Trump administration. The gig also saw her backed by a group of local local freedom fighters called the Singing Resistance.
“It’s very clear that this administration is not interested in legal immigration… They’re interested in violent theater and dominance over other people,” she told the outlet. “I don’t believe most people signed up for that. Even people who voted for Trump, who I’m angry with, I don’t think they voted for this and I do think that they can still change their minds.”
She also spoke to the outlet about feeling “really angry” about the events that have unfolded in Minneapolis in recent weeks, and said that her “heart is on the side of displaced people”.
“I don’t know how people on the right can wax philosophical about doing it ‘by the book’ when ICE is literally zip-tying people on the floor of their immigration hearings,” she added, before sharing an anecdote about how she was scammed years ago.
In the anecdote, Carlile recalled how she was struggling financially before her music career took off, and forced to pawn all of her possessions, “got my power shut off all the time” and working multiple jobs.
She then added that she was approached by a vacuum cleaner salesman who scammed her by treating her like she was “someone that was important” and reassuring her that she wouldn’t have to pay immediately for one of his products – before sending her an unexpected bill for $1,500.
“I was first really embarrassed. I was ashamed. And it wasn’t too long before I was just fucking mad. Because I realised the situation I was in. I was vulnerable at the time [and] the guy looked me in the eye and made me feel important,” she shared, adding that she channelled the embarrassment into anger and got him to overturn the huge bill.
She then went on to suggest that the situation she was in feels similar to that of Trump voters, who may be feeling “fucking scammed” by the actions of his administration.
“We’re living in a scammy time… Doesn’t mean you have to double down. It doesn’t mean you have to pay for the fucking vacuum cleaner,” she said. “And I just think there are a whole lot of people out there right now feeling duped and feeling ashamed and embarrassed. What they need to feel is angry.
“They need to get mad and change their minds. Get past the embarrassment, get past the shame that we got duped by a con artist. Get mad enough to change your mind.”
Speaking out about what she hoped would be different, Carlile added that she thinks the “fear is warranted” around ICE, and added: “I wish ICE found ways for paths to legal immigration for people. That they helped them with computers and forms. What if ICE just started giving everybody rides to immigration court instead of detaining them?”
Other famous faces who have called out the actions of ICE include Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Finneas, Bruce Springsteen – who penned the new song ‘Streets Of Minneapolis’ – Tom Morello, Lady Gaga and more.
Carlile’s latest album ‘Returning To Myself’ was released in October, and marked her first solo album since 2021’s ‘In These Silent Days’.