Chappell Roan turned down offer to perform at White House for Pride, citing Biden handling of Gaza

Breakout pop star Chappell Roan on Sunday said she turned down an offer to perform at the White House for a Pride celebration, calling on the the administration to work toward “liberty, justice and freedom for all.”

“As a response to the White House, who asked me to perform for Pride,” the queer singer-songwriter said onstage at the Governors Ball Music Festival in a video posted to X. “We want liberty, justice and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.”

Roan, who performs as her drag persona, has recently been met with rapid growing success in the pop music industry, largely since opening for pop singer Olivia Rodrigo during her Guts World Tour from February to April and the release of Roan’s critically acclaimed single, “Good Luck, Babe!” in April.

Roan, dressed in drag as the Statue of Liberty for her set at the New York City festival, recited earlier in her performance an excerpt of Emma Lazarus’s famous 1883 sonnet “The New Colossus,” which is written on the statue.

“I am in drag of the biggest queen of all,” Roan said to the crowd. “But in case you had forgotten what’s etched on my pretty little toes, ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’”

“That means freedom in trans rights,” she added. “That means freedom in women’s rights. And it especially means freedom for all people and oppressed. It especially means freedom for all oppressed people in occupied territories,” garnering cheers from the crowd.

Her remarks onstage come after at least 274 Palestinians were killed Saturday in an Israeli raid that rescued four hostages held by Hamas. President Biden on Saturday celebrated the rescue of the four hostages, pledging that the U.S. “won’t stop” until all of the hostages are returned and a cease-fire deal is reached.

Members of Biden’s own party who are demoralized by his handling of the conflict have in recent months upped pressure on the president to do his part in ending the war, which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians and more than 1,200 Israelis since October 7.