Jack White has slammed US Congressman Tim Burchett after the Tennessee lawmaker shared a video that purported to show the former White Stripes frontman telling supporters of President Trump that they couldn't listen to his music.
The AI-generated video was originally posted on X, and features an animated White telling an audience, "Don't even think about listening to my music, you fascists."
The video appears to have been generated from a photo of White taken at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony by photographer Amy Sussman, while the words – which sound nothing like White – actually come from an Instagram post he wrote in 2024, when he warned the Trump campaign against using the White Stripes song Seven Nation Army in their campaigns without seeking permission.
Burchett shared the post, telling followers, "That cute little girl from the Addams Family got really ugly and angry." When a commenter pointed out that the video was obviously fake, Burchitt responded with, "You mean it’s not the girl from the Addams Family?"
Meanwhile, Jack White has taken to Instagram to issue a typically robust response to Burchett's post.
White wrote: "Can you believe that a U.S. congressman, that's right, a congressman (from my state no less), a once hallowed and respected position in our society, would repost an AI generated video, containing a false comment that I never said and refuted (without researching that I might add) and like a 10 year old on a playground, add to it attempted insults to my physical appearance?
"What kind of joke are we all living in now? All of Trump's lackeys and bootlicks like this elected official are cowards who would never talk this way to anybody like me or you in person. Trump really lowered the bar when he brought his scourge to this government. Neither he nor his sycophantic congressmen and women manifest class or dignity; they all just regurgitate cheap, childish, grade school bullying points and fake Christian(!) rhetoric.
"It's really sad how embarrassing our leadership has become. I so wish the average American conservative could have a conversation with any intelligent people in other countries around the world, just for one brief moment, and actually see just what a joke our government (and by proxy our country) has become. All down to giving power and a soapbox to low-class playground bullies, the likes of Trump and Congressman Burchett.
"The great state of Tennessee deserves better, Mr Burchett, but you and your cult are too dug in and blinded to even realise it. Holding a bible in one hand and a flag in the other while you stomp out our democracy day by day in the service of one man's ego so that he can use taxpayer money to receive his fake peace prize and tear down the White House brick by brick. Embarrassing.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, there will come a time in the future when none of these right-wingers will admit to being a part of this cult from this time period. All the MAGA hats will be in landfills, and actual intelligent and honourable leadership will take their place. Let us remember the highly educated and well-spoken leaders like JFK, FDR, MLK, from America's history, because when I look around now, I'm wondering if half of these so-called representatives have ever actually read the Constitution that they pledged an oath to."
This is merely the latest of White's disagreements with current Republican Party leadership. Earlier this month he described Donald Trump as a "disgusting, vile, egomaniac loser" after comments the President made following the murder of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner. And in August he described Trump as "an orange grifter", a "conman", a "low-life fascist", a "bankrupter of casinos" and a "professional golf cheat," and more.
