Neil Young criticizes Trump and tech oligarchs in new video ‘As Time Explodes’
Neil Young has once again made a bold statement in the realm of politics with the release of his new video, As Time Explodes. The two-minute video was shared on his official YouTube channel on October 30th and takes a direct hit at Donald Trump and the increasing power of tech billionaires.
In this instrumental video, Young uses a guitar-driven soundtrack reminiscent of Be The Rain, a track by Crazy Horse from 2003’s Greendale. True to his style, Young communicates his message without any lyrics, allowing the visuals to speak for themselves. The video starts with powerful imagery of the White House East Wing being destroyed during a government shutdown, followed by a striking banner that reads, “The 1% ruins the world.” This sets the tone for a critical analysis of the influence of wealth and power in modern America.
The montage featured in As Time Explodes includes notable figures such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, and even Trump himself. The imagery portrays Musk wielding a chainsaw, Bezos at his extravagant wedding in Venice, and Cook in a White House meeting. There is also a brief depiction of Trump accepting a luxury jet from Qatar, emphasizing Young’s disdain for unfettered capitalism and political corruption. A quick screenshot flashes on the screen, stating, “The oligarchs gather & so starts the looting of America,” underlining Young’s ongoing critique.
The video concludes with scenes from recent No Kings protests in the U.S., aligning Young with grassroots movements challenging the elites in politics and economics. This is not the first time Young has taken a public stand. Throughout his career, he has intertwined activism with music, from songs like Ohio during the Vietnam era to the environmental themes in After The Gold Rush, and more recently, The Monsanto Years in 2015. Young has consistently used his music as a platform for protest.
In recent years, Young has also directed his activism towards major corporations. In 2022, he removed his music from Spotify due to Joe Rogan’s vaccine misinformation and extended this boycott to Amazon Music, Facebook, and Instagram. Young vocally advocated for supporting local businesses over tech giants like Amazon and Facebook. He has also condemned Meta for its use of AI chatbots with children and permanently left X (formerly Twitter) after Elon Musk endorsed anti-Semitic views.
Young’s opposition to Trump has been steadfast, as evidenced by his participation in the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Joan Baez and Bernie Sanders. In his protest track Big Crime, released in 2024, Young directly criticized the “billionaire fascists” and corruption in the White House, echoing the message of his new video, As Time Explodes.
This video serves as both a powerful artistic statement and a warning about the entanglement of power, greed, and politics. It reflects Neil Young’s legacy of holding those in positions of influence and authority accountable for their actions.