Billie Eilish Criticizes Trump Administration in Grammy Acceptance Speech
[My Daily = Reporter Kim Ha-young] At the Grammy Awards, considered the most prestigious event in American pop music, pop star Billie Eilish publicly criticized the Trump administration’s strict immigration enforcement policies.
On the evening of February 1 (local time), during the 68th Grammy Awards held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Eilish won the ‘Song of the Year’ award. In her acceptance speech, she exclaimed, “Damn ICE,” sending a clear message.
She indirectly referenced the historical context of the United States, which was established by displacing native peoples, by stating, “In a land that was stolen, no one is illegal,” addressing the injustice of immigration enforcement.
Eilish went on to say, “It’s challenging to know what to say or do at this moment, but we must keep raising our voices. I feel hopeful, and our voices have real power,” criticizing the Trump administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s intensified operations.
Recently, similar concerns have been raised in American society regarding excessive force in ICE operations. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, a shooting incident occurred during an immigration raid, resulting in fatalities and sparking significant controversy. This led to large-scale protests against the Trump administration and its immigration policies in major cities including Minneapolis.
The protests also found expression on the Grammy red carpet. Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber appeared wearing badges with the message ‘ICE OUT’. Other artists, such as Bad Bunny, who won the ‘Música Urbana Album’ category, Olivia Dean, who received the newcomer award, Gloria Estefan, Kehlani, who won in the ‘R&B Song and Performance’ categories, and rapper Shaboogie, who won in the ‘Country Duo Performance’ category, also criticized ICE, showing solidarity with Eilish’s message.
On that day, Billie Eilish won ‘Song of the Year’ with “Wildflower,” beating out strong contenders like Rosé’s “Apartment” (APT.), Netflix animated film ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ OST “Golden,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Luther.”
Previously, Eilish had won this category with “Bad Guy” in 2020 and “What Was I Made For?” in 2024, marking her third win in this category and reaffirming her influence.