OneRepublic singer and producer Ryan Tedder was not among the celebrities who joined in the protests against the Trump administration at the thousands of “No Kings” protests across the U.S. on Saturday. In fact, the songwriter who has worked with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift took to Instagram to protest against the protests, lamenting that they were taking away from the celebration of the nation’s armed services.
“I have around 20 family members & grandparents that all fought in wars from the revolutionary war (actually) through to WWII/Korea.. all politics & parties and righteous indignation aside it’s a super bummer that instead of celebrating the 250th anniversary of the US Army and all those who have fought and died on our behalf… we’re protesting,” Tedder wrote in a since-expired Instagram Story according to NME.
“I haven’t been a card carrying political member of either side for 20 years & think at this point everything is absurd 99% of the time…” Tedder added. “But I’d like to say THANKYOU to all of the Army service members active and retired and those who have given their lives to protect our freedom…to protest.”
Tedder’s comments came on the same weekend that President Trump oversaw his long-desired military parade on Washington, D.C. streets, during which 6,000 soldiers marched alongside 128 tanks in a show of force to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary; the unusual display also coincided with Trump’s 79th birthday.
To counter the Trump event, an estimated three to five million Americans flooded the streets as part of more than 2,100 “No Kings” protest events across the nation, waving often profane signs and listening to speeches decrying what critics call the nation’s slip into authoritarianism under Trump.
Earlier this year, former OneRepublic bassist Tim Myers announced a run for a California House seat held by longtime GOP Rep. Ken Calvert in what he said was an attempt to slow the Trump agenda. “The people in charge are screwing us over just to make a buck. Trump, Musk and these clowns in Washington are cutting cancer research, veterans health care and getting into trade wars, making everything we buy more expensive. All while giving billionaires another tax cut they don’t need,” he said in the announcement of his run.
