John Mellencamp mocked President Donald Trump during his concert in Holmdel, New Jersey on Saturday, July 25th, and the White House quickly fired back by calling the musician “woke” and “out of touch.” However, many fans appeared to disagree with the criticism, rushing to defend the 74-year-old “Jack & Diane” singer and praising him for speaking his mind and trolling Trump, 80.
The musician made the joke while performing his 1983 hit “Pink Houses” – a song from the album, Uh-Huh, often viewed as a critique of the American Dream – when he took aim at Trump’s efforts to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. Keep reading for more details…
Women Are Swapping Their Boring Water For This Ice Pop Electrolyte Mix!
John Mellencamp Mocks Donald Trump's Gulf Of America Rename And The White House Responds
During the performance, Mellencamp sang: "Well, there's people and more people/ What do they know, know, know?/ Go to work in some high rise/ And vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico." He then stopped himself, and said: "Wait a minute."
"The Gulf of Mexico? Is that right? It's not the Gulf of America?" Mellencamp joked sarcastically as his band continued playing behind him. "What a stupid [expletive] idea," he added, and then continued the song.
The "Small Town" singer was referencing Trump's executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, which the president signed on his first day back in office in January 2025. Trump later revealed that he initially considered naming it the Gulf of Trump, joking in May: "I was going to call it the Gulf of Trump, but I thought I would be killed if I did that." He added: "The Gulf of Trump. That does have a good ring, though. Maybe we could do that. It's not too late. We have the Gulf of America now, it's great."
According to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended the president following Mellencamp's remarks, saying: "Nobody in their right mind cares what out of touch, woke Hollywood celebrities have to say."
This wasn't the first time the "Hurts So Good" singer joked about the name change, either. According to the Daily Beast, he previously said: "Is it really still the Gulf of Mexico? They changed the name of it, but I'm not buying it. It's the Gulf of Mexico."
Fans Defend John Mellencamp After White House Criticism
Many fans appeared to side with Mellencamp following the White House's comments, arguing that being called "woke" was not the insult the spokesperson seemingly intended it to be…
"Woke is better than asleep. I fail to see the insult," commented one fan on Facebook. "John Mellencamp is one of America's finest and a truth teller. I can't ever imagine him NOT being 'woke,'" noted a second, as a third quipped: "Someone is out of touch but it isn't John."
"Sorry Trumpy... I'm with John!" exclaimed a fourth, as a fifth said: "Score one for Mellencamp." "Well, if you mean by 'woke', awake, then absolutely," declared a sixth. "I don't mind being 'Woke' at all!" exclaimed a seventh.
"Mellencamp has done more for Americans than Trump ever has. Ask American farmers," wrote an eighth, as a ninth said Mellencamp was "More American than Trump will ever be!" "Mellencamp for President!" exclaimed a tenth, as an eleventh sarcastically asked: "OMG, how will Mellencamp ever recover from such a rough burn?"
