Trump administration responds to Ariana Grande calling out anti-trans policies: ‘Save your tears, Ariana’
"Get well soon, Ariana," deputy press secretary Kush Desai replied to the singer, taking jabs at her upcoming tour
By Aaron Sugg
The White House has responded to Ariana Grande after she criticised Donald Trump’s administration over its treatment of trans people.
The Wicked star shared an Instagram story reposting a message from queer content creator Matt Bernstein, questioning Trump’s 250 days in office.
The statement posted by Bernstein on Monday asked multiple questions about marginalised groups, such as the trans community and immigrants.
“Trans people have been blamed for virtually everything and live in fear” – Matt Bernstein on Trump’s second term in office
The content creator wrote: “It’s been 250 days. Now that immigrants have been violently torn from their families and communities have been destroyed, now that trans people have been blamed for virtually everything and live in fear, now that free speech is on the brink of collapse for us all – has your life gotten better?”
Highlighting wider issues in the US, he continued: “Have your groceries gotten cheaper? Has your health insurance premium gone down? Has the widespread suffering of others paid off for you in the way he promised it would, or are you still waiting?”
The White House responded directly to Grande’s post in a statement given to The Independent.
“Save your tears, Ariana” – Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai to Ariana Grande
Referencing her 2020 single, deputy press secretary Kush Desai wrote: “Save your tears, Ariana, because President Trump’s actions ended Joe Biden’s inflation crisis and are bringing in trillions in new investments.”
Making a jab at the singers career, Desai added: “He even signed an executive order just like magic that paved the way for the FTC to crack down on Ticketmaster for ripping off Ariana Grande’s concert-going fans. Get well soon, Ariana!”
The Republican has previously spoken out against trans rights. Speaking to CNN in July about why Trump’s second term in office targetted the community so aggressively, he called it “common sense.”
“To restore common sense and reject the radical ideology” – Desai on Trump administration’s stance on trans rights
The statement read: “The American people voiced a resounding Election Day mandate to restore common sense and reject the radical ideology that paved the way for irreversible child mutilation procedures and the undermining of girls’ sports by biological men across our country. The Trump administration is committed to delivering on this mandate.”
This year, the Trump administration has rolled back several trans rights protections, including banning gender-affirming care for minors, prohibiting trans people from serving in the military and trans women in the Olympics, and threatening to strip funding from schools if they do not remove educational transgender resources.
When the administration legally defined gender strictly as male or female, the Eternal Sunshine singer reposted messages expressing solidarity with the trans community.
Grande, who is set to embark on her first tour in seven years in 2026, is yet to speak about the White House’s response.
Grande endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential race and has also performed at a White House event for Barack Obama back in 2014.