@unlocking.the.myst: The Chicks’ Natalie Maines Revisits Her 2003 Bush Controversy on Stage and Also Takes Aim at Trump The Chicks are looking back at the moment that nearly derailed their career. The trio is on a 20th anniversary tour for their 2006 album Taking the Long Way. They are performing the record in full and telling stories about the backlash that inspired it. In March 2003, Natalie Maines told a London crowd, “We do not want this war, this viol*nce. And we’re ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.” She was talking about then-President George W. Bush and the Iraq War. The backlash was widespread. Some fans destroyed their CDs, and country radio stations largely pulled the group’s music. That fight became the heart of “Not Ready to Make Nice.” The song went on to win three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. At the group’s Nov. 1 show at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Maines, 52, said, “It was 20 years ago, and a lot has changed since then,” according to Variety. She added, “Now I would give George Bush a big kiss.” She also joked about a White House statement. It came after she criticized President D. Trump on social media. In a May statement to PEOPLE, a White House spokesperson called her “a despicable nobody.” Variety also reported that all three members held up large fans with an anti-Trump message at the Nov. 3 show. PEOPLE has reached out to The Chicks and the White House for comment. Do you think artists should speak out on Pol*tical issues at their shows? #TheChicks #Show #celebrity #Event #Grammy

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Thursday 05 November 2026 15:12:50 GMT