Rock legend Neil Young has expressed concerns about potentially facing detention or jail time when returning to the United States following his upcoming European tour, citing his outspoken criticism of former President Donald Trump.
The 79-year-old musician, who holds dual Canadian-American citizenship, shared his apprehensions on his website, the Neil Young Archives. He specifically referenced recent detentions of political activists and deportations of immigrants as cause for worry.
"When I go to play music in Europe, if I talk about Donald J Trump, I may be one of those returning to America who is barred or put in jail to sleep on a cement floor with an aluminum blanket," Young wrote.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee has had previous conflicts with Trump, notably objecting to the use of his song "Rockin' in the Free World" during Trump's 2015 presidential campaign announcement. In 2020, Young penned an open letter calling Trump "a disgrace to my country."
Young, who has lived in the United States since the mid-1960s and recently became a dual citizen in January, raised concerns about the implications for ticket holders if he were to be barred from entering the country. "If I come back from Europe and am barred, can't play my USA tour, all the folks who bought tickets will not be able to come to a concert by me," he stated.
The musician questioned the state of free speech and political expression, writing on his website: "By these actions of our US government, it seems that those who speak out freely with their own opinions are now vulnerable."
Born in Toronto, Young has maintained a strong presence in American music culture for decades, primarily residing in Northern California at his Broken Arrow ranch after an early period in Los Angeles.