Disturbed‘s David Draiman has hit back at Jack White‘s criticism of Donald Trump‘s attack on Iran, and has offered him an “open invitation” to discuss the matter.
Over the weekend – and with little consultation with Congress or the American public – the US joined Israel in launching waves of aerial attacks across Iran in a presumed attempt to bring regime change to the country.
Trump labelled the campaign ‘Operation Epic Fury’, and said it would end a security threat to the US, although Israeli Defence Forces used the term “pre-emptive” to justify its attack, meaning that this is not a response to an imminent threat, but rather, as highlighted by the BBC, a “war of choice.”
Trump has spoken at length about the danger of Iran’s supposed nuclear ambitions, even though after last summer’s war, Trump said its nuclear programme had been “obliterated”.
The Iranian regime has always denied that it wants a nuclear weapon, but has enriched uranium to a level that has no civilian use in a nuclear power programme. Thus far, neither Israel nor the US have published any evidence that Iran – a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – is building a nuclear weapon.
The former White Stripes frontman, a longtime critic of Trump, was quick to take to social media to criticise the military offensive under the guise of regime change and, as Trump said, giving Iranians a chance to “rise up” against their current rulers.
“Venezuela, Greenland, Iran, Cuba, what’s the difference right? Don jr. and barron won’t have to fight or die, just other people’s children, so…invade and bomb away,” he wrote.
In response, Draiman said that in a recent post on Instagram that “no matter what you may think of other things done by this administration, the campaign to #FreeIran isn’t something you, or anyone for that matter, should be taking issue with. “The Iranian people deserve their freedom.”
“I say this with the UTMOST respect. I think you’re an absolutely brilliant artist,” he said of White, who he added he’d “love to have the opportunity to talk with, not debate about it, anywhere you like, in private, or public, whichever you prefer. Open invitation.”
White is yet to respond.
Draiman, who is a self-described “fiercely pro Israel Jew” professed in 2022 that he “doesn’t give a shit” if he alienated people with his pro-Israel stance.
This has led to several social media disagreements with other musicians, including Kneecap, who called him a “straight up c**t” last year after Draimam said Tom Morello’s support of the group was “shameful”.
“Wish I could say I was shocked,” he said at the time. ”Guess my family doesn’t count, when it comes to my “friend’s” virtue signaling for those who support terror, and incite Jew hatred.”
When he performed alongside members of Anthrax, Megadeth and Guns N’ Roses at the ‘Back To The Beginning’ Black Sabbath farewell show in Birmingham – which was booked by Morello – and he was audibly booed by the crowd.
He later addressed the reaction, writing: “As you can see… I wasn’t ‘booed off stage’ as so many people in the press and CERTAINLY #FreePalestine crowd, would have you believe. Yes, there were a few boos when I walked out, but I came to pay homage to my teachers, my idols, the mighty Black Sabbath, and I wasn’t about to let a few Jew hating morons deter that.”
The metal frontman later took to social media to announce that the band would be going on a break after concluding their 25th anniversary ‘The Sickness’ tour, writing: “We all need a nice long break. Hope to see you when we do.”
The update came amid controversy surrounding him and his pro-Israel stance – which led to the band reportedly having a show in Belgium cancelled and clashing with protesters in Glasgow. Many assumed that the hiatus was related to the singer’s political stance – but Draiman said it was simply because the members were “tired”.
As for White, he has been repeatedly critical of the Trump administration, recently calling for his removal from office after a racist meme was shared on his social media account that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.
Trump and White also traded insults last August, with White describing the Oval Office redesign as “vulgar, gold leafed and gaudy”, and the White House hitting back by calling the musician a “has-been loser”.