The White House has issued a response following comments made by musician John Mellencamp regarding former President Donald Trump’s executive order about the Gulf of America. Mellencamp criticized Trump’s decision during a live performance on his “Dancing Words” Tour.

While performing in Holmdel, New Jersey, Mellencamp paused his show to express his views, referencing Trump’s move to rename the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America.” He questioned the decision, citing it as “a stupid idea.” The crowd responded to his remarks while his band continued playing.

Davis Ingle, a spokesman for the White House, responded to Mellencamp’s comments in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. “Nobody in their right mind cares what out-of-touch, woke Hollywood celebrities have to say,” Ingle commented, addressing the musician’s critique directly.

Mellencamp is well-known for his song “Pink Houses,” a track that gained popularity in 1983. Although often interpreted as a patriotic anthem, Mellencamp has pointed out that the song critiques the American dream by exploring issues of class and inequality. His inspiration came from observing a man near a small pink house in Indiana, leading to the famous line, “Ain’t that America.”

In April 2025, former President Trump was seen with a “Gulf of America” hat on the South Lawn of the White House, reinforcing his stance on the name change. Mellencamp reiterated his discontent with the decision, once more labeling it as “a stupid idea.”