Rihanna is known for explicit lyrics and raunchy music videos. Is she outspoken about politics too?
It is thought that Rihanna is a democrat. The singer has explicitly voiced her dislike for republican 45th President Donald Trump, and she has shown support for the democratic 44th President Barack Obama.
Take a look at the evidence of Rihanna’s political stance in closer detail in the rest of this article.
She Tagged Donald Trump on Instagram (and not in a nice way)
Rihanna posed with a t-shirt with the word “immigrant” printed on it.
You can purchase the same t-shirt on her beauty and fashion website—fenty.com—for a mere $240.
Rihanna and her friends posed for the photo in 2019, which the star then uploaded to her Instagram account. She tagged Donald Trump’s personal Instagram account in the caption along with a waving hand emoji.
The singer was born in Barbados, a small island in the Caribbean, but now spends most of her time in the US. Talking about her status of “immigrant,” she said, “Wherever I go, except for Barbados, I’m an immigrant. I think people forget that a lot of times.”
She continued, “But I think it’s important for people to remember, if you love me, everyone out here is just like me. A million Rihannas out there, getting treated like dirt.”
At the time of Rihanna’s merch release, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was attempting to enforce the deportation of thousands of families.
So, Rihanna certainly doesn’t agree with republican Donald Trump’s stance on immigration.
Please Stop Using “Please Don’t Stop The Music”
Rihanna’s legal team sent a letter to Trump’s White House in 2018, with the following contents:
“It has come to our attention that President Trump has utilized musical compositions and master recordings, including her hit track ‘Don’t Stop the Music,’ in connection with a number of political events held across the United States.
As you are or should be aware, Ms. Fenty has not provided her consent to Mr. Trump to use her music. Such use is therefore improper.
Trump’s unauthorized use of Ms. Fenty’s music […] creates a false impression that Ms. Fenty is affiliated with, connected to or otherwise associated with Trump.”
This letter doesn’t leave much room for negotiations.
Rihanna wants it to be made clear that she in no way endorses Donald Trump or wants her songs played at his events, and she’s not alone in this desire. Pharrell Williams, Steven Tyler and Prince’s family have sent similar cease and desist letters to Trump’s team.
She Supports Obama
In early 2017, Rihanna shared a picture of a young Barack Obama wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the brand name “Supreme” and the caption “worst break up ever.”
Many took Rihanna’s post to mean she was insinuating that the 44th president was more “supreme” than the 45th.
Trump Has Mental Illness
In an interview with Vogue, Rihanna criticized Donald Trump’s stance on gun control and asserted that he is “the most mentally ill human being in America.”
The statement came after Donald Trump reacted to back-to-back shootings (Dayton and El Paso) by white perpetrators, by saying it was a “mental illness problem.”
Rihanna theorized that if the shooters had not been white they would have been called terrorists instead. “It’s a slap in the face. It’s completely racist,” the star commented.
The Votes are In
Rihanna has not shied away from letting her fans know which party she is not a fan of. If the singer is this critical of the republican party, it can be assumed that she will support the democrat party instead.
However, it should also be noted that Rihanna was critical of a comment from republican candidate Joe Biden during the 2020 election campaign.
Speaking at the Asian & Latino Coalition in Des Moines, Iowa, Biden remarked, “We should challenge students in these schools to have advanced placement programs in these schools.”
He continued, “We have this notion that somehow if you’re poor, you can not do it. Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”
The candidate paused, almost certainly realizing his awkward gaff, and tried to recover by saying, “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids. No, I really mean it, but think how we think about it.”
Rihanna apparently saw the viral video on Instagram, and she was not happy. The singer commented, “Whoa! And he’s convinced he said something great here. Even when they fake it, the truth about how they feel about us is blatant!”
Yikes.