Neil Young says he is "NOT OK" with Trump using his songs at Mount Rushmore event
At a Fourth of July event at Mount Rushmore Friday night, President Donald Trump blasted multiple Neil Young songs for the crowd. Shortly after, the legendary singer reiterated that he is "NOT OK" with the president using his music.
"This is NOT ok with me…," Young tweeted.
"I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me," he added.
The president played both "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Like a Hurricane" ahead of his arrival at the controversial event.
The Lakota Sioux protested the event in South Dakota, which was held on sacred land they were once violently forced off of. They barricaded the road leading into Mount Rushmore, holding signs that read "Protect SoDak's First People," "You Are On Stolen Land" and "Dismantle White Supremacy," The Associated Press reports.
The event also drew concerns about the spread of coronavirus, as several states have seen a serious uptick in cases in recent weeks. Several tribes in the region raised concerns about the event leading to an outbreak of the virus, as Native American communities have been particularly ravaged by COVID-19.
"The president is putting our tribal members at risk to stage a photo op at one of our most sacred sites," Harold Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, told AP.
Young has condemned Trump's use of his music at past rallies. Earlier this year, he wrote an open letter criticizing the president and voicing his support for former Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders.
In the letter, the Canadian rocker, who became a U.S. citizen in January, wrote that "Keep on Rockin' in the Free World" is "not a song you can trot out at one of your rallies."
"Every time 'Keep on Rockin' in the Free World' or one of my songs is played at your rallies, I hope you hear my voice," Young wrote. "Remember it is the voice of a tax-paying U.S. citizen who does not support you."
