Ronnie Winter Draws a Line in the Dirt
Ronnie Winter of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus has drawn a hard line in the dirt.. and he did it with both boots stomping. In a recent video posted to Instagram, the frontman didn’t mince words when telling Trump supporters to stay far away from his band’s upcoming shows.
Staring directly into the camera, Winter made it clear he wasn’t looking for debate. His message was raw, emotional, and unapologetic. No vague caption. No cryptic metaphor. Just a flat-out rejection of any fan who supports Donald Trump… past or present.
“If you voted for Donald Trump, do not come to my shows. Ever. Not just these four years—forever.”
Ronnie Winter –
@TheRonnieWinter (Instagram)
The backlash was immediate. Supporters of the former president took to social media, accusing Winter of gatekeeping his own fanbase. Some promised to protest outside future shows. Others called for boycotts. Within hours, the comment section on the band’s Instagram had been disabled. But the video had already spread across TikTok and Twitter, clipped and reshared with captions ranging from praise to outrage.
For a band known by many for their 2006 radio hit Face Down, the irony wasn’t lost. Some fans joked that Ronnie had just thrown half his audience face down in the dirt and told them to stay there.
Whether this move was personal, political, or a mix of both, it’s clear Winter knew exactly what he was doing when he hit record. And now he’s facing the fallout, boots still planted.
What Ronnie Winter Actually Said in the Video
Sitting in what looked like a quiet room, Ronnie Winter spoke directly to the camera with the kind of calm intensity that lets you know he meant every word. No screaming, no theatrics—just a steady voice and a firm message.
He doubled down, calling out Christian fans who supported Trump as well:
“If you’re Christian and you voted for Donald Trump, shame on you. You are not allowed to come to my shows.”
For longtime fans who connected with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus through lyrics about abuse, trauma, and redemption, the message may have landed differently depending on which side of the political spectrum they stand.
Rockstar Responses: Support Nowhere in Sight
If Ronnie Winter expected a wave of industry solidarity, he didn’t get it.
Following the viral video where he told Trump supporters to stay home from his shows “forever,” several high-profile rock musicians dropped into the comment section of RockFeed’s Instagram post — and the tone was less rallying cry, more collective eye-roll.
Adam Gontier, co-vocalist of Three Days Grace and current frontman of Saint Asonia, took a swing at Ronnie’s relevance rather than his message directly.
Matt Walst, who took over as frontman for Three Days Grace after Gontier’s departure, kept it more neutral but still made his stance clear:
“Lol. Doesn’t matter who voted for who. All are welcome at our shows. Always.”
Shinedown, one of modern rock’s biggest touring acts, kept their reaction short but stinging. Their official band account simply posted:
“Lolllololololololol”
Even Trapt, a band often mocked online but still notoriously vocal, added their own backhanded comment:
Even Ronnie Radke, who’s no stranger to controversy himself, joined in. Though his reply was more personal than political, it carried a subtle note of shade.
In a rare moment of unity across the rock spectrum — from arena headliners to meme-punchlines — it seemed almost every artist weighing in chose sarcasm, silence, or outright dismissal.
While Ronnie Winter’s video may have been intended as a moral stand, his peers responded like it was more of a PR misfire than a principled moment. The lack of public support from fellow musicians only added fuel to the online backlash, as fans on both sides of the political aisle questioned whether Winter’s message helped or hurt the broader conversation around inclusion in rock.
Politics In Post-Hardcore
Ronnie Winter’s comments have placed him at the center of a cultural powder keg.. one that’s been bubbling under the surface of the rock scene for years.
On one hand, he’s standing by his beliefs, calling out what he views as hypocrisy and hatred. And honestly, we at The Rocktone can respect that! I’ll admit it’s pretty punk rock to tell your own fans where to stick it.
On the other (more practical) hand, he’s alienated a large portion of his fanbase and found very little support among his peers.
Whether this moment becomes a footnote or a full-blown turning point for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: Ronnie Winter has made his position loud and clear.
And as the tour dates approach, it’s not just fans who will be deciding whether to show up. It’s the entire genre watching to see what happens next.
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SOURCES CITED
- RockFeed Instagram Post – Public comments and reactions to Ronnie Winter’s viral video. https://www.instagram.com/rockfeednet
- Ronnie Winter Instagram Video (Original Statement) – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus official account. https://www.instagram.com/redjumpsuitapparatus
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