A heavy metal band called Gwar pretended to “murder President Trump” and even staged a mock “beheading of Elon Musk” at Chicago's Riot Fest this weekend.
At Chicago's Riot Fest, Gwar staged a mock beheading of a Musk mannequin and pretended to kill President Trump, sparking controversy.
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Video shows Gwar members were dressed up asogres carrying swords, severing the chainsaw-wielding Musk mannequin's head before fake blood poured out and covered the spectators.
Many people in the crowd cheered, while others at Riot Fest captured the action on their cell phones.
According to The Mirror US, the announcement coincides with a wave of accusations that the band is “normalising” violence.
"That's not edgy, it's grotesque and reckless and normalizes violence against a real person. This is not okay. Riot Fest and GWAR crossed a major line," one X user wrote while sharing the video.
“this is Gwar. this is what they do and what they have done since the late 80s. they have pretended to kill basically every president in modern memory and a bunch of historical and pop culture figures. They even killed me in 2005 the first time we toured with them,” another said.
GWAR was founded in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984. The band is known for its outrageously violent stunts and hideous costumes. In the past, they have performed with fake blood, pee, and semen aimed at their audience. This is not the first time the band has performed such obscene deeds. Fans have also shared video of a mannequin that looked like then President Joe Biden being beheaded at a previous performance.
Obama, Trump, Biden, Hillary Clinton, Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, and even Jesus Christ have all received similar treatment from them during the past forty years.
GWAR reacts to bizarre stunt
In response to the condemnation, a GWAR official told the New York Post, " “Normalizing violence? Humans don’t need GWAR for that. There’s nothing normal about the Looney Toon violence performed on our stage. GWAR is an absurdist spectacle. It’s to violence what the New York Post is to journalism — ridiculous.”
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Taking to X, Chicago Riot Fest too responded to uproar over GWAR's performance, saying:"Like I know this is a rage bait engagement farming twitter account, but 'GWAR crossed a major line' is one of the funniest fucking things I've ever heard."
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
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Home/World News/Us News/Uproar as rock band GWAR ‘beheads’ Elon Musk, ‘murders’ Trump in violent act at Chicago's Riot Fest | Watch viral video
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