The pop star and actress denounced U.S. immigration enforcement and Trump’s administration mid-performance, joining a wave of artists protesting ICE crackdowns.
Pop sensation Renée Rapp took aim at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Donald Trump during a fiery, expletive-filled tirade at her concert in Portland, Oregon, igniting applause from the crowd and sparking national conversation.
The 24-year-old chart-topping artist interrupted her performance to address the political climate in Portland, where Trump has sought to deploy National Guard troops, labeling the city a “war zone.”
“As I’m up here performing,” Rapp shouted, “some other people who shouldn’t fing be here are. So let’s make a few things abundantly fing clear. F*** ICE. F*** this administration. And f*** Trump.”
Her comments came amid renewed protests outside Portland’s ICE facility, where activists have gathered for months to oppose federal immigration crackdowns.
The federal presence in Portland has been a flashpoint of tension, with a federal judge blocking Trump’s latest attempt to send troops to the city. Demonstrations have often turned chaotic, as federal agents have used non-lethal rounds and tear gas against protesters.
Portland’s Mayor Keith Wilson and Governor Tina Kotek have both criticized the deployment, affirming Portland’s “sanctuary city” status and calling the federal response “unconstitutional.”
Rapp’s remarks place her among a growing group of musicians publicly condemning ICE’s policies and the Trump administration’s immigration actions. Chance the Rapper recently declared “I got a new chain, it say: F*** ICE” on his latest album Star Line, while Finneas — the singer-songwriter and brother of Billie Eilish — described being tear-gassed at an ICE protest in Los Angeles.
Artists such as Kehlani, Tyler, the Creator, and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day have also voiced opposition. Even country artist Zach Bryan faced backlash from the Department of Homeland Security after previewing a song critical of ICE raids.
Beyond individual performers, several independent record labels, including Epitaph and Anti-, have urged Spotify to stop running ICE advertisements, arguing that “artists and fans deserve platforms that reflect the values of the culture they sustain.”
Rapp, who achieved a UK No. 1 and U.S. Top 3 album with her second record Bite Me earlier this year, is no stranger to using her platform for bold statements. Known for her breakout role in Broadway’s Mean Girls: The Musical and HBO’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, Rapp’s powerful stance reinforces her image as one of pop’s most outspoken and socially conscious rising stars.
