Shania Twain Apologizes For Comment About Voting For Trump: 'The Question Caught Me Off Guard'
Shania Twain received backlash for saying she would've voted for President Donald Trump due to his honesty — and now she's backtracking on the sentiment.
Twain Apologizes For Trump Statement
The "That Don't Impress Me Much" country singer took to Twitter to apologize to the people she offended and to clarify her statement. Twain acknowledged that her answer may be awkward, adding that she was simply caught off guard at the question during the interview.
In her four-part tweet, she also makes the point to distance herself from the president as she says she does not "hold any common moral beliefs" with him. Instead, Twain explains that she was just attempting to point to his accessibility.
I am passionately against discrimination of any kind and hope it’s clear from the choices I have made, and the people I stand with, that I do not hold any common moral beliefs with the current President (2/4) — Shania Twain (@ShaniaTwain) April 22, 2018
My answer was awkward, but certainly should not be taken as representative of my values nor does it mean I endorse him. I make music to bring people together. My path will always be one of inclusivity, as my history shows. (4/4) — Shania Twain (@ShaniaTwain) April 22, 2018
The multi-awarded hit maker may have not meant for these particular comments to get so much traction, but fans and detractors alike pounced on the pro-Trump sentiment on social media.
Her apology also circulated on the internet quite a bit, with some dismissing her statement as damage control and others telling her that she doesn't have to apologize for her opinions.
"You said in the interview that you believe Trump 'speaks honestly,' meaning you believe him when he denigerates Muslims, Mexicans, immigrants and more than half of Americans," one user responds to her tweet. "You've shown your true colors, bye Shania."
"Don't let yourself be bullied by the intolerant left," another user says. "Be proud of what you truly believe. You have no reason to apologize to an angry Twitter mob."
The Original Controversy
Twain sat down for an interview with the publication The Guardian, shocking audiences by saying she would have voted for Trump in the United States elections as "even though he was offensive, he seemed honest."
"Do you want straight or polite?" Twain points out to the publication after talking about her conservative but tough upbringing. She then says that people should have the option to get both.
"If I were voting, I just don't want bullsh*t. I would have voted for a feeling that it was transparent," she continues, adding that the reputation of politics is not very transparent.
Twain's Family Life
Twain also shared about her traumatic childhood and volatile family life. While she never knew her biological father, she grew up with a stepfather who physically, psychologically, and sexually abused her.
The country superstar supported her family from a young age, and then when her parents died in 1987, she stepped away from a budding music career to take care of her siblings. It took a few years for her to get back on her feet and focus on her music career once again.
One of the biggest controversies was her marriage to Robert "Mutt" Lange, which resulted in one son Eja. It served as tabloid fodder for years after he cheated on her with her close friend Marie-Anne Thiébaud. In a crazy twist, Twain in turn got together with her pal's then-husband Frédéric, who she is still with until today.
Twain is currently preparing her tour for the 2017 album Now. It's the singer's first tour since 2002.
