Natalie Maines Says ‘It Would Be a Huge Love Fest’ If She Saw George W. Bush Compared to Donald Trump

The Chicks ignited a firestorm of controversy in 2003 when lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience she was ashamed then-president George W. Bush was from Texas, but according to Maines, current president Donald Trump has made her reconsider her stance on the 43rd POTUS. Maines and bandmates Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer appeared on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday night, where host Andy Cohen asked them whether they’ve had a change of heart about Bush given their feelings about Trump.

“You know, I joke that today I might actually make out with George Bush,” Maines laughed “I don’t rethink that I didn’t want to go to war and that ‘weapons of mass destruction’ were a lie, but, yes, it would be a huge love fest if I saw George Bush right now because of where we’re at with this current president.” After Cohen asked the women if they had come into contact with Bush or any members of his family, The Chicks shared that they have not since the controversy but had met him prior. “Emily and I used to go sing the national anthem at [Texas] Rangers games,” Maguire recalled. “He had a box in the front, and we would be all friendly and say, ‘Hey.’”

On March 10, 2003, just before the United States’ invasion of Iraq, The Chicks were performing in London when Maines spoke to the crowd between songs. “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all,” she offhandedly told the audience. “We do not want this war, this violence. And we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.”

During a recent interview with Bustle, Maines revealed that she had to move because of the response The Chicks received after the comments, which included death threats. “I didn’t feel safe living in the center of Austin anymore because people knew where I lived,” she said. “So I moved 40 minutes outside of Austin.” Maines reflected that shortly before her comments, The Chicks had performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl. “We were America’s sweethearts. We were so patriotic. Then just a few weeks later, the controversy happened,” she recalled. “The first month was an emotional whirlwind. I wanted to bury my head in the sand. I wanted to stay in Europe forever, but Emily’s personality was more like, ‘We gotta get back to the States and fix this.’”