Musician Kid Rock met with President Trump on Thursday, sparking bemused and puzzled reactions online.
Sooo… Kid Rock just walked into the White House. pic.twitter.com/KZD0mxTQwD
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) October 11, 2018
Rock was there, along with John Rich of the country duo Big & Rich, to celebrate the signing of the Music Modernization Act, which updates music copyright law in light of advances in digitization and distribution.
Rock praised the president at the signing, saying, “There’s a whole lot of people in this country that do give you a lot of credit for everything you’ve been doing for this country. We know that some people don’t give it to you as much as maybe they should sometimes.”
Rock is a vocal supporter of Trump, and had a brief political career himself when he floated running for Senate as a joke last year. He’s currently campaigning for Michigan Senate candidate John James alongside Donald Trump, Jr.
Despite these political bona fides, onlookers couldn’t resist poking fun at Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, as he entered the White House.
I don’t know who to believe anymore pic.twitter.com/4U8WqMg4uX
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/Marmel/status/1050406384032874497
Attorney General Kid Rock is gonna be lit https://t.co/xIxQsFlaMz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 11, 2018
Attorney General Kid Rock is gonna be lit https://t.co/xIxQsFlaMz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 11, 2018
It's about high time for a zombie apocalypse, wouldn't you say so? https://t.co/j7IJzWcIU0
— Melville House (@melvillehouse) October 11, 2018
What I'm imagining….
— Clay Masters (@Clay_Masters) October 11, 2018
WH Official: Name?
KR: My name is kid! Kid Rock!
WH Official: Ok. What is your business?
KR: Bawitdaba da bang da bang diggy diggy diggy
Shake the boogie said up jump the boogie https://t.co/eXxzqa0H9F
“Everybody knows this business of music is a very dirty business,” Rock said, after the bill was signed. “But this is a great start to protect songwriters, producers, engineers—the unsung heroes behind many of these songs that go out there. People like myself who are maybe more at the top of the food chain, it really doesn’t affect as much. But I know many people it does affect.”
Also in attendance were Sam Moore of the duo Sam & Dave, Mike Love of the Beach Boys, and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter of the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, the former of which sparked his own interest online.
holy fucking shit pic.twitter.com/pSgSPguqy5
— David Mack (@davidmackau) October 11, 2018
Kanye West also met with Trump today.