Guns N’ Roses Troll Trump With “Live N’ Let Die With Covid 45” Shirt
Last week, the world saw a spectacle so bizarre and on-the-nose that it could only be real: A viral video of Donald Trump, maskless, touring a mask factory while Guns N’ Roses’ “Live And Let Die” blares in the background. Was it some sort of intentional subliminal message from the Trump administration? Was Trump saying something about how he was willing to sacrifice thousands upon thousands of American lives to keep the market running? Or were they just listening to classic rock radio at this particular mask factory when Trump took his tour? These are now the kinds of stupid questions that we find ourselves asking.
As an added bonus to this whole thing, Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose — never exactly a sober political mind in previous years — has been registering his objections to the Trump administration on social media lately, even getting into a very recent Twitter feud with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. So you can imagine that Rose felt some objection to hearing his song — a 1991 cover of Paul McCartney and Wings’ 1973 James Bond theme that I think we can all agree is better than the original — in such a capacity.
So Guns N’ Roses have clapped back at Trump in a pretty obvious way: Merch sales! On their online store, Guns N’ Roses are now selling a T-shirt that says, in their trademark font, “Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45.” (Explanation: Donald Trump is the 45th president of the United States. Also, “Die” and “45” sort of rhyme.) All proceeds from the shirts go to the Grammys’ charity MusiCares.
This shirt isn’t going to bring the administration tumbling down or anything, but it’s something. Anyone old enough to remember “One In A Million” can tell you that Axl Rose hasn’t always been a left-wing agitator. For now, though, he’s on the right side of history. If you like, you can buy that shirt here.