John Mellencamp Slams Trump’s ‘Stupid F–king Idea’ to Rename Gulf of Mexico While Singing a Rock Classic

The rocker paused in the middle of singing "Pink Houses" to make a jab at the president.

John Mellencamp performs onstage at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards held at Dolby Theatre on March 26, 2026, in Los Angeles.

Michael Buckner/Billboard

John Mellencamp isn’t taking any lyrical cues from President Donald Trump. At his recent show in Holmdel, N.J., the rock icon paused his performance of his pseudo-patriotic anthem “Pink Houses” to poke fun at the president’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Explore