Country star Jason Aldean played up the political tension at his recent concert in Nashville on July 13, dedicating his controversial hit “Try That in a Small Town” to former President Donald Trump.
The singer, who has long been a staunch Trump supporter, took his admiration to new heights during the performance.
In a TikTok video shared by @susanelizabethphoto, the “Dirt Road Anthem” singer can be heard saying, “What happened today in Pittsburgh with our former president, Mr. Trump, you know about that, right?
“President Trump is a friend of mine, so I want to send him this next song. We all know what's going to happen in November, so it's all good.” He continued, “I just go to show you that there's a lot of crap in the world, and that's exactly what the song here was, so that's what's getting in the press.”
Aldean also shared his support via Instagram, “This is what a warrior looks like! This is MY guy,” sharing the famous photo of a bloodied Trump raising his fist in defiance.
“Donald Trump, we are thinking of you and praying for you and your family. God has a bigger plan for you, my friend, and I think we all know what that is by now.” He also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims affected by the incident, calling it a “cowardly act”.
The dedication aligns with Aldean's continued support for Trump. He and his wife Brittany have attended Trump events and recently promoted merchandise supporting the Trump campaign.
Aldean wasn't the only musician to rally behind Trump after the apparent assassination attempt. Kid Rock posted a fiery video on social media, declaring, “You with Trump, you with Trump,” and shared a link to a GoFundMe page for the victims of the shooting, which has raised more than $2 million.
“Try That in a Small Town” has been at the center of heated debate since its release, with critics arguing that the lyrics promote vigilantism and contain racial undertones.
Aldean has consistently defended the song, arguing that it celebrates small-town community values.
The controversy surrounding the track, however, did not hinder its success. the song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Aldean's first chart leader. It caused quite a stir after CMT pulled its video after some called it pro-gun, pro-violence and akin to a “modern-day lynch song.”
“Try That in a Small Town” also topped the Digital Songs Sales chart and the Streaming Songs chart, and topped Google's Trending Musicians 2023 list of top searches for “Try That in a Small Town” songs.
Watch Jason Aldean dedicate “Try That in a Small Town” to Donald Trump in Nashville below.
