Lady Gaga is the latest celebrity to voice criticism towards President Donald Trump in light of the protests that have sprung up around the country after the death of George Floyd. In a lengthy post on her Instagram page, the singer discussed racial inequality and what she saw as Trump’s failure to lead on this issue.
Gaga started her post by writing that, while she had plenty to say on the issues around Floyd’s death, her goal was not to incite further violence. She wrote that the anger of those protesting Floyd’s death was justified given the repeated attacks on black Americans. The singer also argued that, no matter how much they protest, black Americans always find themselves ignored by the country’s leaders.
From there, Gaga condemned Trump, saying that he had “failed” in his role as the nation’s leader.
“We have known for a long time that President Trump has failed. He holds the most powerful office in the world, yet offers nothing but ignorance and prejudice while black lives continue to be taken. We have known he is a fool, and a racist, since he took office. He is fueling a system that is already rooted in racism, and racist activity, and we can all see that it is happening. It’s time for a change,” she wrote in the post.
She then urged her followers to speak with one another about the issue, and refuse to be silenced until the systems that caused this kind of death have been dismantled. The “Born This Way” singer also said that it was important to support the black community.
Gaga continued, acknowledging her own position as a white woman of privilege, and arguing that those with privilege have not done enough to fight against the racist systems in the country.
She concluded by describing racism as a tragedy that defines America and said that she personally was angered by it. Moving forward, Gaga said she would do what she could to address the issue and communicate what must change in a non-violent manner.
Gaga’s statement follows a wave of others from famous faces on the issue. Some figures, like Beyoncé, have highlighted the pain that much of black America is feeling right now. Others, like Jimmy Kimmel and Taylor Swift, have directly condemned the president and said that voters across the country had to do everything that they could to vote him out of office in this November’s election.
