Country music star Zach Bryan is responding to backlash against lyrics in an unreleased song, which appear to criticize ICE. Last week, Bryan released a snippet of the song "Bad News," which he had teased in July. CBS News' Meg Oliver has more.

Country music singer Zach Bryan has responded to public backlash over lyrics in his upcoming song 'Bad News,' which some listeners interpreted as critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The release of a snippet of the song led to criticism from government officials, including the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem, who called the lyrics disrespectful to law enforcement and the country. 

Bryan, a U.S. Navy veteran, clarified on social media that he wrote the song months ago and does not align with either extreme of the political debate. The incident has sparked discussion within the country music community, with experts noting that artists have historically addressed sociopolitical issues in their music.

Zach Bryan responds to controversy over song lyrics

My friends are all degenerates, but they're all good people. Country music singer Zach Byron is responding to the backlash against these song lyrics, which appear to criticize ICE's ongoing immigration operations. And ICE is going to come bust down your door, try to build a house. No one builds no more, but I got a telephone. Kids are all scared and all alone. Last Friday, Bryan released a snippet of an upcoming song called Bad News, which he had previously teased back in July. My middle finger's rising, and I won't stop showing got some bad news, the fading of a red, white, and blue. Sparking an angry response from the right and the Trump administration. On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, released a video on social media showing federal law enforcement personnel confronting protesters and arresting people, set to another one of Bryan's songs. Save my survival. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem later criticized Bad News directly. I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is, not just to law enforcement, but to this country, to every single individual that has ever stood up and fought for our freedoms. Bryan, a US Navy veteran, took to Instagram the same day, saying he wrote Bad News months ago, and anyone who uses it as a weapon is only proving how devastatingly divided we all are, adding, to be clear, I'm on neither of these radical sides. There's literally a litany of performers who have espoused opinions about what Zach Bryan is doing, both on the left and on the right. Country music reporter Marcus K. Dowling says what Bryan is doing is nothing we haven't seen before in country music. There's a long lineage of this. Obviously, Toby Keith, or it was Alan Jackson. I think you understand when you take on the mantle of being a star in the space that you have to have an opinion about something that directly deals with the sociopolitical condition broadly of all Americans. For CBS Mornings, I'm Meg Oliver.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of wanting to sow "chaos" in Ukraine by launching strikes on his country's energy grid and railway infrastructure, in comments published Thursday.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy says Russia aims to sow 'chaos' with energy strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday (October 8) that Hamas has agreed to release hostages and Israel will pull back its troops in Gaza in the "first phase" of a peace deal. CBS News' Debora Patta reports.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israel and Hamas agree to phase one of peace deal

Russia and China are sending high-level representatives to North Korea for celebrations honoring 80 years of the ruling party. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Pyongyang

Russia, China send representatives to North Korea

The Toronto Blue Jays won Game 4 of their American League Division Series matchup against the New York Yankees to advance to the next round of the Major League Baseball playoffs.

New York

Blue Jays defeat Yankees to advance to ALCS

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown has led to major delays and staffing shortages at airports, raising safety concerns. The flight attendants’ union says reduced oversight and overworked crews are putting additional strain on the aviation system.

Washington

Aviation less safe during any government shutdown, union warns

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said one of the reasons for staffing shortages at airports is that a growing number of air traffic controllers have been calling in sick. Those controllers don't know when they'll get their next paycheck amid the government shutdown.

Los Angeles International Airport

Why the government shutdown is playing into travel delays

President Trump says he might travel to the Middle East as soon as this weekend as Israel and Hamas continue indirect negotiations to end the war in Gaza. CBS News senior White House and political correspondent Ed O'Keefe has the details.

Cairo

Trump 'may' go to Egypt or Gaza amid Israel-Hamas peace

A 29-year-old Florida man has been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the deadly Palisades Fire that scorched parts of Los Angeles earlier this year, officials said Wednesday.

Los Angeles

Man arrested for allegedly starting Palisades Fire in California

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to two counts in federal court on Wednesday (October 8) after being indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in September.

Alexandria

James Comey pleads not guilty to charges brought by Trump's DOJ

Some air traffic control staffing issues and bad weather are affecting flight delays as the government shutdown enters its eighth day. CBS News senior transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave has more details.

Government shutdown, staffing issues lead to flight delays

Hamas’ lead negotiator says the group needs guarantees of a lasting peace as indirect talks with Israel to reach an agreement over the implementation of the first phase of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza enter the third day.

Sharm El-Sheikh

Hamas says it is ready to reach Gaza deal but needs 'real' guarantees

Sebastien Lecornu to hold two days of talks to try to shore up cross-party support for his collapsed government.

Paris

Outgoing French PM launches last bid to quell political crisis

Israel is pressing forward with its attacks across the Gaza Strip. 
Its forces have targeted displaced families in Khan Younis, killing a mother and her children. Several Palestinians have also been killed in a strike on Al Shati refugee camp, in Gaza City.

Israeli strikes intensify in Gaza despite ceasefire talks

Palestinian solidarity demonstrators have marched through Mexico and Chile’s capitals, demanding their governments sever diplomatic ties with Israel. The protests mark the second anniversary of Israel's war on Gaza.

Mexico City

Palestinian solidarity protests sweep Latin America

National Guard troops are preparing to be deployed to Chicago. Members of the Texas National Guard arrived just outside the city on Tuesday. The move is being criticized as an abuse of presidential authority.

Chicago

National Guard troops preparing to deploy in Chicago

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to the White House, where he promised to treat Canada fairly in trade talks, but was less committed to a continental trade deal that also includes Mexico.

Global Tariffs

Trump promises trade fairness for Canada during Carney's visit

From Tel Aviv to the Nova Music Festival site, Israelis gathered to remember those who were killed in the October 2023 Hamas attack.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israelis remember victims two years after Hamas attack

Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Comedy Festival is attracting global stars including Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson and Kevin Hart, with reports that some are being paid more than $1 million each. The event is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's push to rebrand the conservative kingdom through sports and entertainment.

Riyadh

Riyadh Comedy Festival draws top U.S. comedians amid controversy

Three U.S.-based scientists have won the Nobel Prize in physics for their work on quantum mechanics. The physics award is the second 2025 Nobel Prize to be announced this week.

Stockholm

Three U.S.-based scientists win Nobel Prize in physics

As the war in Gaza reaches its two-year mark, Israel and Hamas continue negotiations in Egypt. Talks are centered on a proposed ceasefire deal, which includes a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a hostage-prisoner exchange.

Israel and Hamas resume Gaza ceasefire talks in Egypt

Israel has deported activist Greta Thunberg along with 170 others who were detained after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza last week. Some of those deported in recent days have reported mistreatment, allegations that Israel has denied.

Israel deports Greta Thunberg after Gaza Flotilla interception

Leaders in the U.S. state of Illinois are taking President Donald Trump to court, looking to stop the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to the streets of Chicago. The White House argues that soldiers are needed to prevent so-called lawlessness.

Chicago declares 'ICE Free Zones' amid clashes over raids

French President Emmanuel Macron has given Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu 48 hours to stabilize the government following his sudden resignation. Lecornu stepped down hours after naming his cabinet, amid criticism and growing political instability in a parliament without a clear majority.

Macron gives Lecornu two days to salvage government after resignation

Microchip maker AMD got a huge boost in the race to supply the artificial intelligence revolution. OpenAI, the company behind major AI platform ChatGPT, announced a deal for AMD to provide the AI startup with its high-performance processing chips starting next year.

Santa Clara

Rise of AI

AI chipmaker AMD strikes major deal with OpenAI

It's a race against time to save the remaining 200 or so stranded climbers on Mount Everest after a massive storm dumped at least three feet of snow over the weekend.

Gorakshep

About 200 Mount Everest climbers still stranded

Clashes broke out at ICE facilities in Chicago and Portland after President Trump ordered National Guard troops into both cities. The move has intensified tensions between federal authorities and local officials amid ongoing protests.

Clashes erupt as Trump deploys National Guard

Former NFL quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was charged with felony battery involving serious bodily injury, and could face up to six years in jail, according to Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears.

Indianapolis

Mark Sanchez charged with felony, could face up to 6 years in jail

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced on Monday a lawsuit against the Trump administration over plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.

Illinois, Chicago sue Trump over National Guard deployment

A selloff in French markets gathered pace after French media reports that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has resigned. French stocks fell sharply, government bond yields were up 8 basis points and the euro was last down 0.65% at $1.1667.

French markets tumble after PM Lecornu resigns

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez has been charged with battery, intoxication, and unlawful entry after allegedly attacking a 69-year-old truck driver in Indianapolis. The driver stabbed Sanchez in self-defense, believing his life was in danger. Sanchez is currently hospitalised.

Breakdown