Linda Ronstadt Slams Donald Trump as a ‘Rapist’ With ‘Toxic Politics’

Linda Ronstadt posted a lengthy statement on Instagram slamming Donald Trump ahead of his Sept. 12 campaign event at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tuscon, Arizona. The singer wrote that she “would prefer to ignore” the Trump event but “since the building has my name on it, I need to say something,” 

“It saddens me to see the former President bring his hate show to Tucson, a town with deep Mexican-American roots and a joyful, tolerant spirit,” Ronstadt continued. “I don’t just deplore his toxic politics, his hatred of women, immigrants and people of color, his criminality, dishonesty and ignorance — although there’s that. For me it comes down to this: In Nogales and across the southern border, the Trump Administration systematically ripped apart migrant families seeking asylum.”

“Family separation made orphans of thousands of little children and babies, and brutalized their desperate mothers and fathers,” she added. “It remains a humanitarian catastrophe that Physicians for Human Rights said met the criteria for torture. There is no forgiving or forgetting the heartbreak he caused. Trump first ran for President warning about rapists coming in from Mexico. I’m worried about keeping the rapist out of the White House.”

Ronstadt then sent a message to Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance: “I raised two adopted children in Tucson as a single mom. They are both grown and living in their own houses. I live with a cat. Am I half a childless cat lady because I’m unmarried and didn’t give birth to my kids?”

Ronstadt’s statement arrived amid a big week for singer’s speaking out against Trump. Taylor Swift formally endorsed Kamala Harris for president on Sept. 10 and spoke out against Trump for using fake images of her earlier in his campaign.

“Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site,” Swift wrote. “It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”

After Swift endorsed Harris and encouraged her fans to make sure they are registered to vote ahead of the election, Steve Nicks posted her own statement to social media echoing Swift’s call for voter registration.