Donald Trump Jr. Chimes in on Jason Aldean Video Controversy

As debate and controversy surrounding Jason Aldean‘s new song (and video), “Try That in a Small Town” continues, former president Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., has chimed in.

On July 18, Billboard broke the news that CMT had pulled the video from its rotation. A day later, Trump Jr. addressed his 10 million Twitter followers, asking, “How on earth is this video controversial? Why would @cmt take it down? Support @jasonaldean and other artists who have the guts to tell the truth…watch it, download it and push back against the bs.”

The video for the song, which was directed by Shaun Silva and features Aldean performing in front of an American flag-draped Maury County courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, also features footage of carjackings, cars and American flags being set on fire, and protesters taunting police.

The song itself, which was written by Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher, Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy, offers up a confrontation to those who would “carjack an old lady at a red light” or “pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store” or “cuss out a cop.” The song challenges them to “try that in a small town” and “see how far ya make it down the road/ Around here, we take care of our own.” 

Sheryl Crow and Margo Price have also previously spoken out. Crow addressed Aldean on Twitter, saying, “I’m from a small town. Even people in small towns are sick of violence. There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting,” she added, referring to Aldean being onstage during the Route 91 Harvest Festival in 2017 when a gunman began firing upon the crowd and stage, causing the deaths of over 60 people.

Aldean himself responded to the controversy surrounding his video and song, slamming his detractors, who have accused the song and video of being racist and anti-BLM protests.

“In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to a comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests,” Aldean said. “These references are not only meritless, but dangerous. There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage- and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far.

“As so many pointed out, I was present at Route 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy. NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart.

“‘Try That In A Small Town,’ for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences. My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to- that’s what this song is about.”

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