The White House has responded to Joni Mitchell’s diss aimed at Donald Trump during a recent acceptance speech.
Singer-songwriter Mitchell, 82, made a rare public appearance Sunday to accept her lifetime achievement award at the Juno Awards in Canada.
The Canadian-born legend, who lives in Los Angeles, told the crowd she was relieved to be back in her home country, saying: “I’m living in the States and you know what’s happening there.”
She then subtly snubbed Trump by praising Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. “This man is a blessing. You guys are so fortunate,” Mitchell said.
When approached for comment on Mitchell’s remarks, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle pithily replied: “Who the hell is Joni Mitchell?”
This is not the first time that the “A Case of You” singer has called out Trump on stage.
During her two sold-out shows at the Hollywood Bowl in October 2024, Mitchell unleashed a diss at Trump in the middle of a rendition of her 1985 song “Dog Eat Dog,” which is about people who “lie, cheat, skim, scam.”
After she sang a lyric about “snakebite evangelists and racketeers and bigwig financiers,” Mitchell ad-libbed: “Like Donald Trump!”
Then, when an audience member shouted something about the President following her performance of the song, she chuckled.
“‘F*** Donald Trump.’ I love that song,” she said, seemingly referring to YG’s 2016 anthem, “FDT.”
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A month before the 2024 presidential election, Mitchell encouraged Americans in the crowd to vote.
“This is an important one,” she said. “I wish I could vote. I’m a Canadian. I’m one of those lousy immigrants.”
The “California” singer also showed her support for immigrants by wearing an “ICE OUT” pin at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where she accepted the award for Best Historical Album.
Mitchell, who grew up in Saskatoon, has returned to the public eye in recent years after taking nearly 15 years away from the music industry following her last studio album release in 2007. She then suffered an aneurysm in 2015 that left her to relearn how to walk, talk, sing and play guitar.
After she was honored at the Kennedy Center in December 2021, the Blue singer marked her triumphant comeback in July 2022 with a full-length performance at Newport Folk Festival alongside Brandi Carlile.
Mitchell said while accepting her award Sunday, “Some years ago — 10 or 12 years ago, I forget how long ago — I had an aneurysm, which changed my life, oddly, for the better.”
