Kid Rock tells fellow Trump supporters 'most of our left-leaning friends are good people'
Kid Rock is of two minds about the 2024 presidential election results — and he's sharing both.
The 53-year-old musician, a supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, reacted to the Republican nominee's victory in an Instagram video shared Friday, first as his stage persona and then as himself.
In the first clip, labeled "Kid Rock election reaction," he walks into view wearing sunglasses and smoking a cigar, picks up a microphone, and drops it before grabbing his crotch and giving a middle finger.
The video then cuts to a clip labeled "Bob Ritchie election reaction," using the singer's real name. Ritchie walks out in the same location wearing casual attire and gives a more measured reaction by urging unity following Trump's win.
"First off, let me convey to my family, friends and supporters, that now is the not the time to gloat," he said. "We must remember that most of our left-leaning friends are good people who want the same things in life that we do, but simply think differently on how to get there."
He added, "It is now time to be the bigger man, to extend an olive branch and unite all reasonable people of this great nation."
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The video then cuts to a montage of Trump footage, including from the attempt on his life in July, as Ritchie says that "together, with President Trump, we will make America great again."
But not all of his Trump-supporting followers were on board with his call for peace. "There will be reckoning," one fan who disagreed with him commented. "This abuse of power needs to end."
Another wrote, "I think the time for playing nice is over. We have to fix our country."
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Kid Rock is a longtime supporter of Trump and in July performed at the Republican National Convention, where he urged attendees to chant, "Fight!" In 2022, he released a song titled "We The People" in which he slammed Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden, and mainstream media outlets.
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At the time, the singer said he received a call from Trump, who "expressed how proud of me he was" over the song. "Suck on that you trolls, critics and haters!" he wrote.
Last year, the singer was part of a boycott against Bud Light over a promotion for the brand by trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Kid Rock released a video in which he shoots at cases of the beer.
Stars who endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president included Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Eminem, while Trump had the backing of conservatives celebrities like Zachary Levi and Caitlyn Jenner.
In an October Instagram video, Kid Rock said he disagrees with Eminem, whom he called a friend, and others who supported Harris. But he gave them credit for "standing up and not being afraid to be vocal for that in which they believe," adding, "Thinking differently, and having the freedom to do so, is what makes this country great."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump election win gets reaction from Kid Rock, urging unity