Trumped: 5 Celebrity Responses to Donald Trump

by Gemma Brand-Wolf

Donald Trump has not just rippled the surface. He has done more than make waves. Donald Trump is a tsunami. From wall-building to dictator-befriending, Trump has made himself known and has dominated the public eye for the last few months. He has shifted the political platform from focusing on representation to encompassing the drama of reality TV. He has essentially overtaken the priority we place on our artists, musicians, actors, and politcians, and has positioned himself in the forefront of media attention, positive and negative and everything in between. Below are the reactions of some of these artists, musicians, actors, and politicians.

1. Miley Cyrus:

Miley Cyrus, in and of herself, has often presented a political and social debate among audiences. In recent years, she has been in and out of the forefront of public attention, mostly in response to her controversial presentation. To some, she has represented a form of authenticity that is rarely seen in celebrities of such strong following. To others, her contentious and experimental performances are seen as offensive and indelicate. Either way, it is undeniable that Cyrus does what she wants and is not afraid to speak her mind. This is true for her musical presence as well as for her political message. Not afraid to voice her opinions for fear of backlash, Miley Cyrus often shares her views via Instagram. Of Trump, she says blatantly that she “despise[s] the existence of this f**k”, that he is simply a “f**king nightmare.” In this, Cyrus uses her fame to express what many of us feel but are not able to articulate to such an expansive audience. Miley Cyrus, in her direct and explicit rhetoric, conveys the direct and explicit reaction that many of us are feeling in response to Donald Trump and his fearful influence on the country.

2. Ray BLK:

Ray BLK, singer/songwriter from South London, views the recent events, the rise of Trump specifically, as not only a frightening time in our history, but as a “revelation”, uncovering the true feelings of citizens. “I think”, she says, “that people actually feel the way [Trump] feels [and] have the same beliefs, apparently, as this man” As a foreigner, Ray BLK has an outside perspective, as well as unique take on the global effects of political turbulence in the US. Drawing an example from her own home, she mentions the Brexit referendum, adding that she thinks it is similarly “a time for us to see what’s going on in England and how people feel […] about foreigners.” Overall, Ray BLK’s individual outlook is explanatory of how a lot of people feel, both in the US, and across the world. In her words, the recent discrimination, fear, and corruption spreading through the world is “very sad and it’s very scary to know that this is how people really feel.”

3. Caitlyn Jenner:

As a popular (and yet, arguably destructive) figurehead in the transgender community, most would expect Caitlyn Jenner to be, if not #WithHer, at the very least, not in support of Donald Trump. While cis-gendered audiences happily absorb the drama that Caitlyn Jenner so readily supplies, a large portion of the transgender population wishes she would “step off her pedestal”. Increasing the general unease between Jenner and the liberal-minded majority of the trans community, Jenner has stated her continuing support of the Republican party, as well as her belief that “Trump seems to be very much for women. He seems very much behind the LGBT community.” While this point alone is extremely troubling, and to many, invalid, Jenner’s repetition of ongoing support for Trump, as well as her refusal to “ever ever vote for Hillary.” Like it or not, Jenner dominates her place as one of the spotlighted mouthpiece for transgender people. In this, her contradicting politics may prove detrimental to the overall representation of the transgender and LGBT body, as she continues to present opinions that are in direct opposition to the voices of the majority.

4. Joe Biden:

Joe Biden, current Vice President to President Barack Obama, has a distinct, if not obvious, dislike for Donald Trump. At the Democratic National Convention on July 27th, Biden expressed these sentiments by arguing Trump’s “lack of empathy and compassion,” adding that “he has no clue about what makes America Great. Actually he has no clue. Period.” Summing it up, Biden declared Trump’s investment in the country’s future as “a bunch of malarkey,” adding that “no major party nominee in the history of this nation has ever known less or has been less prepared to deal with our national security.” On gun violence, in the past and recently, Joe Biden has conveyed the democratic principle on strengthening gun control laws, stating that “the world has changed, and it’s demanding action.” In his position of political influence, Biden has not only asserted his opinions, he has called for “action.” During his time as VP, and continuing into Hillary Clinton’s campaign, Biden has responded to both gun violence, as well as the rise of Trump, in the respectful and action-based manner that defines what politicians can and should be.

5. Kelela:

Kelela is an R&B vocalist, acclaimed not only for her profound lyrics, intimate connection with her fans, and stage presentation, but, perhaps more so, for her realness. Known for her constant redefinition of “the system,” Kelela has made her presence in the music industry one of disruption and reconstruction. In an interview for The FADER, Kelela voiced a similar desire to disassemble the social constructs of race that have bubbled to the surface of public consideration during Trump’s campaign. Kelela sees Trump not as an instigator of racism, but as a “symptom” of America’s history of racial discrimination, including “the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.” Furthermore, Kelela argues that “we have not dealt with racism on a global scale,” providing a glimpse into the global permeation of racism. As a woman of color, Kelela does not blame white people, but explains that, as a country, “we have not dealt with white privilege,” getting at the core of the problems that brought about “the rise of Donald Trump”, i.e. the refusal to talk about said problems and the basis of these problems.