Shania Twain Apologizes After Saying She “Would Have Voted For” Donald Trump

Canadian country star Shania Twain is just days away from starting her seven-month, international Now tour, her first concert series since 2002. But we’ll see if fans show up like they might have had Shania not publicly just said that she would have voted for now-President Donald Trump. In fact, the interview has caused such a controversy, the “Still the One” singer has had to apologize for her “awkward” comments.

Shania gave Trump her vote in an interview with The Guardian posted online on Sunday, April 22. “I would have voted for him because, even though he was offensive, he seemed honest,” she said. “Do you want straight or polite? Not that you shouldn’t be able to have both. If I were voting, I just don’t want bull–t. I would have voted for a feeling that it was transparent. And politics has a reputation of not being that, right?”

To say the least, fans weren’t impressed much. “How could my [favorite singer] betray me like this?” tweeted @motherperrysa. “This is the worst day of my life.” And @itsjamessmh said, “Deleting Shania Twain songs from my playlists after finding out she supports Trump.”

Amid the outcry, the 52-year-old issued a statement of regret to People. “I would like to apologize to anybody I have offended in a recent interview with The Guardian to the American president,” she said. “The question caught me off-guard. As a Canadian, I regret answering this unexpected question without giving my response more context. 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.”

Shania continued on a defensive tack, saying, “I was trying to explain, in response to a question about the election, that my limited understanding was that the president talked to a portion of America like an accessible person they could relate to, as he was not a politician. 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.”