Green Day alters Coachella lyrics to highlight Palestine’s suffering
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Green Day used their long-awaited Coachella debut to deliver a powerful, politically charged performance—revamping lyrics to call out Trump and Elon Musk and highlight the suffering of Palestinian children.
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Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performs during the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on April 12, 2025, in Indio, California. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Green Day may have headlined Coachella for the first time late on Sunday, but they didn’t shy away from delivering a powerful political message.
They kicked off their performance with their iconic track American Idiot, and frontman Billie Joe Armstrong gave the lyrics a pointed update—swapping, “I'm not a part of the redneck agenda” with “I'm not a part of the MAGA agenda,” taking a clear jab at President Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” mantra.
This is not the first time the band has reworked the lyrics to reflect current political issues. Earlier this year, during a concert in South Africa, Armstrong sang “I’m not a part of the Elon agenda,” criticizing Elon Musk for his ties to the US government.
The political statements continued throughout their set. Before launching into Holiday, Armstrong declared, “This song is anti-war!”—further emphasizing the band’s stance on global and domestic issues.
During their performance of Jesus of Suburbia—a track in which they’ve previously used a provocative slur to call out Vice President JD Vance—Billie Joe Armstrong once again changed up the lyrics, this time to comment on the current turmoil in the Middle East, singing "Running away from pain like the kids in Palestine."
Sunday marked Green Day’s long-anticipated Coachella debut—a high-profile booking that hinted at the festival’s return to its rock roots. Taking the stage at 9:05 pm after Charli XCX and just before headliner Travis Scott, Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool delivered a set that spanned decades.
Known for infusing their performances with political commentary, Green Day once again used their platform to speak out. Their latest lyric change added to a longstanding tradition of protest through music, especially in the wake of the 2024 US presidential election.
