Jelly Roll Responds to Criticism After Meeting With Donald Trump

Country music star Jelly Roll is defending his recent interaction with President-elect Donald Trump, emphasizing that his respect for the presidency transcends political affiliations. The 40-year-old “Halfway to Hell” singer addressed the controversy during a Dec. 16 appearance on his wife Bunnie Xo’s podcast Dumb Blonde, discussing his encounter with Trump, 78, at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden last month.

“Dude, there’s not a chance in hell that I’m not going to meet the president-elect. I don’t care,” Jelly Roll declared, adding that he “would have stopped at any point and met” President Biden as well.

During the conversation, Trump reportedly expressed admiration for Jelly Roll’s work, specifically praising “Save Me” – the artist’s song about depression and the cycle of self-destruction and hope. The former president also commended the singer for “doing incredible things.”

The Nashville-based performer, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, emphasized his non-partisan stance: “I don’t hide behind the I’m not political stuff. I’m not political! People who actually know me know I’m also one of the old-school dudes. I like to talk about things I’m passionate about. With that, I like to know about it. I don’t know enough about politics to act like I know anything that’s going on or what anybody’s standing for policy-wise.”

Reflecting on his upbringing, Jelly Roll shared that while he didn’t come from a “voting culture,” his parents instilled respect for the presidency, which he considers “the hardest job in the world.” His wife Bunnie, 44, supported his perspective, stating: “Anybody who gets the opportunity to meet a president, a vice president… anything like that. It’s a f—ing honor.”

The encounter follows Jelly Roll’s January testimony before Congress regarding anti-fentanyl legislation, where he spoke about his personal experiences with addiction. “I was honored,” he said about meeting with senators, noting, “I didn’t know which side any of them were on … I’m trying to bring things together here, man. I’m gonna work with whatever administration is in play, for the rest of my life. Because my cause will always be what it is.”

The Grammy-nominated artist has been open about his past struggles, including serving time for various charges from aggravated robbery to drug possession. In a recent interview with People, he reflected on his journey: “I’m rounding third on my amends list, and I think when I get there, I’ll feel a little better. I was hitting some stone walls with people that wouldn’t forgive me, and I was like, ‘God, maybe this has something to do with the fact [that] I haven’t forgiven myself either.”

Concluding his thoughts on the Trump meeting, Jelly Roll remained firm: “Meeting President Trump was cool. Ultimately, I don’t really care [about] any blowback I get about it. The truth is: It was really cool to meet the president.”