The Atlantic

How Madonna Gave Trump Ammo With a Cry for Peace

Her mention of “blowing up the White House” at the Women’s March was a classic moment for her—and for the new president’s team.
Source: Shannon Stapleton / Reuters

Some of the events of this past weekend—the size of the protest crowds, the question-free “alternative facts” press briefing—were without precedent. But one was so familiar that it warrants a Groundhog’s Day comparison: Madonna said something controversial, and controversy ensued.

Early in her speech to the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., Madonna gave a message “to our detractors that insist this march will never add up to anything.”

That message:

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic4 min read
Hayao Miyazaki’s Anti-war Fantasia
Once, in a windowless conference room, I got into an argument with a minor Japanese-government official about Hayao Miyazaki. This was in 2017, three years after the director had announced his latest retirement from filmmaking. His final project was
The Atlantic7 min readAmerican Government
The Americans Who Need Chaos
This is Work in Progress, a newsletter about work, technology, and how to solve some of America’s biggest problems. Sign up here. Several years ago, the political scientist Michael Bang Petersen, who is based in Denmark, wanted to understand why peop
The Atlantic5 min read
The Strangest Job in the World
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. The role of first lady couldn’t be stranger. You attain the position almost by accident, simply by virtue of being married to the president

Related Books & Audiobooks