Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello Reacts to Fox News Saying Musicians Should Stay Out of Politics

After a Fox Business segment called out bands like Green Day and Rage Against the Machine for including politics in their music, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello responded on social media.

The clip in question specifically mentions Green Day, who performed at Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and changed a lyric in their song "American Idiot" from "I'm not a part of a redneck agenda" to "I'm not a part of the MAGA agenda."

Fox questioned what the "MAGA agenda" actually is, and if it refers to the Republican party's supposed interests in lower crime, "actually secure borders," and a better economy.

"Maybe he is raging against the machine if that's what he's actually asking for?"

The anchors added that "People are so sick of being preached at about politics from rock bands," and told the musicians to "stick to what you’re good at. You’re not a political analyst. You're probably not really well read on the issues that Americans really care about."

Morello, a Harvard Political Science graduate, responded to the clip on X (formerly known as Twitter), writing, "Is that so?"

The guitarist has a long history of civil disobedience and political commentary in and out of his music. According to The Harvard Crimson, Morello once described himself as "the only anarchist in a conservative high school."

Elon Musk also reacted to Green Day's lyric change, writing on X, "Green Day goes from raging against the machine to milquetoastedly raging for it 🤣🤣."