Jason Aldean Dedicates a Song to Trump After Shooting Injury [Watch]

Jason Aldean stood in solidarity with former president Donald Trump during a show in Nashville on Saturday night (July 13), just hours after Trump was injured in an alleged assassination attempt at a campaign rally.

As he introduced his controversial 2023 hit "Try That in a Small Town," Aldean told the crowd that he was dedicating the performance to the former president.

"President Trump's a friend of mine so I want to send this next song out to him," he said, amid cheers and chants of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" from the crowd.

Aldean also reaffirmed his belief that the shooting that took place won't stop Trump's current presidential bid from being successful during election season.

"We all know what's gonna happen come November, so it's all good," he said. "Just goes to show you there's a lot of bulls--t in the world, and that's kinda what this song right here was about. So this one goes out to the prez."

Aldean and his wife Brittany have frequently spoken publicly about their support for Trump and their alignment with his brand of conservative politics. They've also gotten to know the president personally over the past couple of years, even attending a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago and golfing with Trump.

Related: Donald Trump Injured in Shooting: Country Stars React

What We Know About the Shooting at Donald Trump's Campaign Rally:

• On Saturday (July 13), as Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign rally for his 2024 U.S. presidential bid, shots rang out and Trump ducked down under the podium.
• He was photographed with a bloodied ear, but his injuries appeared minor as he was whisked away by United States Secret Service.
• The incident is being investigated as an assassination attempt.
• In a statement he released shortly afterwards, Trump recalled hearing a "whizzing sound" and feeling "the bullet ripping through the skin."
• The shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa. Crooks was killed by Secret Service members at the rally. No motive was immediately available.
• A press statement from the Secret Service indicates that one spectator was killed in the shooting and two others are critically injured.
• The statement also indicates that the alleged shooter fired multiple shots from an elevated position outside the venue.

After he first released "Try That in a Small Town," Aldean described the song as referring to "the feeling of community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief."

However, the song was met with controversy. Many listeners interpreted it as racist dog-whistling and a glorification of "sundown towns," aka towns or neighborhoods that practice racial discrimination via discriminatory local laws or outright intimidation and violence towards minority groups.

In particular, listeners criticized the music video, which was shot in front of the Maury County courthouse in Columbia, Tenn. In 1927, the body of an 18-year-old Black man named Henry Choate was hung in front of that courthouse after he was lynched and killed by a mob.

Aldean is one of a handful of country stars who have mentioned the Trump campaign rally shooting onstage. Cody Johnson spoke about the incident and led the crowd in a rendition of "God Bless America." George Strait also appeared to reference the shooting at a show of his, as he introduced his song "The Weight of the Badge."

Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews and lists. In particular, she’s got a soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 Saddest Country Songs of All Time!