Long-running Boston band Dropkick Murphys suspended by Elon Musk from X; here's what they did
Dropkick Murphys found themselves locked out of their X (formerly Twitter) account this week following a string of sharp critiques aimed at Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their supporters—a move critics likened to censorship tactics seen in authoritarian regimes. The suspension, which occurred late Monday, came after frontman Ken Casey doubled down on his years-long disdain for Trump during interviews and explosive concert moments, culminating in what fans call a “political silencing” under Musk’s ownership.
Trump Is the Opposite of Everything We Sing About
In a recent interview with left-leaning outlet MeidasTouch, Casey slammed Trump as a “rat and a coward” who betrays allies and undermines American values. He contrasted the band’s working-class anthems about loyalty and solidarity with Trump’s foreign policy shifts, including his cozy ties with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and adversarial stance toward traditional allies like Ukraine and Canada. “America shouldn’t be turning on our friends,” Casey asserted, framing Trump’s actions as antithetical to the band’s ethos.
Concert Confrontations: Calling Out MAGA in the Crowd
The band’s live shows have become battlegrounds for political ribbing. At a Florida concert last month, Casey challenged a fan wearing Trump merch to a $100 bet over where the apparel was made. The fan’s MAGA gear, produced in Nicaragua, lost to the band’s U.S.-made shirts—a moment Casey joked was “taking crime off the streets.” Days later, during their raucous St. Patrick’s Day show in Boston, he blasted another attendee waving a MAGA hat, comparing Trump supporters to cult members and mockingly dubbing the hat the “Elon Musk True Nazi edition.”
Musk, who has banned journalists and critics since buying X