Doechii used her moment in the spotlight at the 2025 BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 9) to condemn Donald Trump’s military crackdown on anti-ICE protests happening just outside the venue.
Accepting the award for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Doechii paused her speech to address the escalating situation in the city.
“I do want to address what’s happening right now outside of the building,” she said, turning the celebratory moment into a pointed critique of the government’s response to civil unrest.
“There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order,” she added, directly calling out Trump’s decision to deploy military forces to suppress demonstrations. “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest, and I want y’all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us.”
She then asked the audience, “What kind of government is that?”
The Tampa-born rapper extended her message to those impacted by immigration raids and systemic violence.
“People are being swept up and torn from their families,” she added. “I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people. For Black people, for Latino people, for trans people, for the people in Gaza.”
Doecii Calls For Resistance Against Hate
She ended her speech with a call for collective resistance and hope.
“We all deserve to live in hope and not in fear,” Doechii declared. “I hope we stand together, my brothers and sisters, against hate and we protest against it. Thank you, BET.”
Doechii calls out Donald Trump and ICE while accepting her trophy at the #BETAwards in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/fTGyJ9nbAj
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 10, 2025
Her remarks came as federal forces continued to flood Los Angeles in response to protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
Trump has ordered 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 active-duty Marines into the city, citing the need to protect federal buildings and personnel.
The move bypassed California Governor Gavin Newsom’s authority, invoking a rarely used federal statute to seize control of the state’s National Guard.
Newsom has condemned the deployment as “reckless,” “pointless,” and “deliberately provocative,” accusing Trump of manufacturing a crisis for political leverage.
Meanwhile, legal challenges are underway, with the state arguing the federalization of the Guard violates constitutional boundaries.
The protests have been met with tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs. Trump has labeled the unrest “rebellion” and “insurrection,” while critics argue the administration is escalating tensions rather than resolving them.
Doechii’s speech has since gone viral, with many praising her for using her platform to confront political power and amplify the voices of marginalized communities.
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