‘TWIST THE TRUTH’

Jason Aldean Plays the Victim Over Controversial Song at Trump Rally

The country singer complained about the criticism he received after releasing ‘Try that in a Small Town’ in 2023.

Country singer Jason Aldean introduced former President Donald Trump at his rally in Duluth, Georgia on Wednesday—and warmed up the crowd of supporters by complaining about the criticism levied against him for his 2023 hit “Try That in a Small Town.” “I‘ve seen firsthand how the media can twist the truth. They’ve done it to me, simply for putting out a song called ‘Try that in a Small Town,’ if you guys can remember that,” Aldean said to cheers from the audience. “The song simply called out people for trashing our cities, harming people, disrespecting law enforcement, and costing our taxpayers millions of dollars for their unruly behavior. But no one is on the receiving end of lies and fake news more than President Trump.” Aldean’s anti-protestor anthem, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, sparked controversy when viewers noticed parts of its music video were filmed outside the Maury County Courthouse—the site of the lynching of Henry Choate, an 18-year-old Black teenager, in 1927. The song his been criticized for its racist overtones. Aldean has consistently defended the song and the music video, although he eventually said he would have picked a different location for the video if he knew about the courthouse’s history.