Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong: Anti-Trump Chant Good Start to Challenge ‘Ignorant Policies and Racism’

Over the weekend, Green Day performed at the American Music Awards, netting themselves serious attention for chanting, "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist U.S.A.," while ripping through their new single "Bang Bang." Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong has always made his political stances known and was vehemently against Donald Trump prior to the election. Now, he and the rest of the band guested on The Late Late Show With James Corden to discuss the chant among other things.

It's been a whirlwind week of press as the appearance marked the band's third consecutive night on television as they support their latest album, Revolution Radio. After introducing the band, Corden noted that everyone has been talking about the anti-Trump chant and asked Armstrong how it all came together. He explained that the moment was unrehearsed and how they borrowed the line (aside from "Trump") from the punk act MDC (Millions of Dead Cops), a band that notoriously leaned on the far left of the political spectrum.

"We're just as much in shock as everybody else is about this, but I think with the AMAs for us, it was a good start to challenge [Trump] on all of his ignorant policies and racism," Armstrong added, which was met with an enthused applause and cheers from the studio audience.

Upon receiving the news that Donald Trump had successfully secured his spot as the country's next President, Armstrong took to Instagram to express his discontent, stating, “Our social progress got punched in the face. Hard. It’s hard to tell if we made any progress at all.. the dark side of our better angels have spoken.. They gloat.. They cheer.. I pity them. I pity them because they have no clue what they’ve gotten our country into. Or the world for that matter.”

Green Day will be touring North America starting in March of next year with icons Against Me! serving as direct support. A full list of dates can be found at our Guide to Rock + Metal Tours.

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