Fact Check: Did Garth Brooks call for country music stars to boycott Donald Trump’s inauguration?

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: The internet is often a place where rumors thrive and facts are just optional accessories.

This time, it's country music superstar Garth Brooks who’s been dragged into the mix. Apparently, some people are convinced he urged the entire country music industry to boycott Donald Trump’s inauguration in January.

Did Garth Brooks call for a boycott of Donald Trump's inauguration?

Right before Christmas, posts started popping up all over social media claiming Garth Brooks made this anti-Trump declaration. And because social media is the ultimate rumor mill, these posts gained traction fast.

"Garth Brooks thinks Country Music should Boycott Trump's inauguration," read multiple posts on X. 

One of them racked up nearly 600,000 views, while another wasn’t too far behind with around 40,000 views. Combined, they scored 26,000 likes and over 3,000 shares.

Fact Check: False

Apparently, slapping a sentence on a gif and hitting “post” is all it takes to make people believe just about anything. These posts even had Garth Brooks’s name trending online. But despite all the speculation, there’s not a single shred of evidence that Garth ever said a word about boycotting Donald Trump’s inauguration.

You’d think people would do a quick Google search before reposting something, but that isn't the case. The rumor spread like wildfire and enraged many in the MAGA world.

"How about we just boycott Garth Brooks instead? Sounds good to me," one posted on X.

"Garth is in for a rude awakening. Country music fans are MAJOR Trump fans," another offered.

"It's very disappointing how woke he got," someone else lamented.

Thankfully, a handful of skeptics in the comments had the good sense to ask for a source. Spoiler alert: there wasn’t one.

If you dig into Garth’s actual history with presidential events, the most recent connection between him and Trump is from back in 2017. Garth was invited to perform at Trump’s inauguration but couldn’t make it due to scheduling conflicts. His wildly successful 2016 tour ran over into January and he had to add extra shows that weekend.

In an interview with Billboard, Garth explained his situation with grace: “I’ll tell you with this whole presidential thing: We got one going out. Pray for him and his family. And for the president going in, pray for him and his family to guide this nation. Let’s stay together. Love, unity — that’s what it’s all about. We can’t thank the Obamas enough for serving this country. And may God hold Trump’s hand in the decisions that he makes in this country’s name as well.”

Garth Brooks’ history of bridging divides

Garth Brooks isn’t exactly known for stirring political pots. He’s performed at inaugurations for both Democrats and Republicans. In 2009, he sang at Barack Obama’s inauguration. In 2021, he graced Joe Biden’s ceremony with a rendition of 'Amazing Grace'.

Before his Biden performance, he clarified that his appearance wasn’t about politics but about service: “This is a great day in our household. This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity. I want to spend the next 10 years of my life not divided. I’m so tired of being divided.”

Garth’s reputation as a unifier goes way back. Early in his career, he made waves with the socially conscious anthem 'We Shall Be Free'. And even more recently, during the Bud Light controversy, he refused to take a divisive stance. Instead, he announced his Nashville bar would serve all beer and called out boycotters for being “a**holes.”

Given Garth’s track record of peace, love, and unity, the idea of him calling for a country music boycott of Trump’s inauguration is laughable. He’s performed for every president since Carter—except Reagan—and has always kept his political cards close to his chest, per Whiskey Riff.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.