Doechii Calls Out President Trump While Addressing Los Angeles Ice Protests In BET Awards Speech

Doechii is using her voice to bring attention to the protests happening in Los Angeles. The rapper took home the prize for Best Female Hip Hop artists at the 2025 BET Awards on June 9 and addressed the Los Angeles ICE protests during her acceptance speech. “As much as I am honored by this award, I do want to address what’s happening right not outside of the building,” she said. “There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order.” The Grammy winner then continued her speech by calling out President Donald Trump. “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest and I want you 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. What type of government is that?” she added. The 26-year-old finished her speech by calling on her “brothers and sisters” to speak up for those who are oppressed. Doechii’s comment comes after President Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles against the wishes of California governor Gavin Newsom and LA mayor Karen Bass, the former of whom called the decision “purposefully inflammatory” and an attempt to “manufacture a crisis.” The move is the first of its kind since the 1960s. The protests began on June 6 after federal agents launched operations in three locations across Los Angeles resulting in more than 100 immigrants being taken into custody, per ICE. The LAPD has said it does not assist or participate in mass deportations or determine an individual’s immigration status and confirmed on June 9 that dozens of demonstrators were arrested over the weekend including one person suspected of throwing a Molotov cocktail at an officer. In addition to rubber bullets, law enforcement is said to have used tear gas to disperse protestors.