Does Usher Support Donald Trump? A Look At His Political Views
There are some celebs who are tight-lipped about anything to do with politics, while others use their platform to bring awareness to the state of affairs regarding the United States. R&B pop star Usher falls in the latter category and ahead of the 2008 presidential elections, he opened up about why President Barack Obama's race against Senator John McCain was important. "I think this election, this time, is historical. I think it truly does represent change, a different [mindset] of America. I think it has definitely forced a lot of us to care more about public service ... as well as hopefully bringing about change in our country," he told the Associated Press.
Usher's song "Hush" was written to inspire people to vote and use their voices to make change for the better. "'Hush' is about my awakening over the past 10 years to the social issues in our country and realizing that I have a voice. Complaining isn't enough, you have to also take action," the "Superstar" singer stated (via People). While Usher hasn't affiliated himself publicly with a specific party, he once showed just where Donald Trump stood with him during the 2016 BET Awards.
Usher's Don't Trump America jacket spoke volumes about his political stance
During the 2016 BET Awards, Usher made his feelings about the then-presidential hopeful known with his forest green jacket spelling out "Don't Trump America" in large white letters on the back, per USA Today. As reported by Billboard, the "OMG" singer put T-shirts, tanks, and hoodies with the catchphrase up for sale on Teespring for just a week, with the proceeds going to Pencils of Promise and his charity, Usher's New Look.
That same year, Usher joined a slew of musicians including Sheryl Crow and Josh Groban to tell the GOP to stop using their music to promote their campaigns. In a 2016 episode of HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," the host pointed out several instances where Donald Trump used songs without authorization from bands during the Republican National Convention. Oliver rounded up musicians to sing a satirical song about said topic, with Usher crooning, "But we know that's something's wrong / And it's gone on way too long / So we're asking you right now / Stop using our songs." In another moment, he took a break from singing to tell the camera, "That's licensing. You gotta call my publisher, okay?"