Green Day hits back at Elon Musk over 'American Idiot' diss

• Green Day's bassist has hit back at Elon Musk's criticism of the band.
• Musk took issue with the band's choice to include an anti-Trump lyric in "American Idiot."

Green Day's bassist Mike Dirnt has hit back at Elon Musk after the billionaire lashed out at the band's choice to include an anti-Trump lyric in a performance.

In a New Year's Eve set, the band changed a line in its hit song "American Idiot" from "I'm not a part of a redneck agenda" to "I'm not a part of the MAGA agenda."

Musk took issue with the dig aimed at the former president and hit back at the band by accusing them of becoming pro-establishment.

"Green Day goes from raging against the machine to milquetoastedly raging for it," Musk said in a post on X.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Dirnt said he was still a bit stunned by the reaction.

"Elon Musk actually is the machine," he told the outlet in response to the billionaire's comments. "I can't take anything else from that. He's not shy about saying stupid shit on the internet. Whatever."

Dirnt added he was pleased the lyric shake-up had got people talking. Several other conservative pundits also blasted the band for the lyric swap, with some mocking the ages of its members.

"I think the best part about it is that it provoked conversation," Dirnt said. "First it was rhetorical, and then it got into conversation."

Green Day has a history of making political statements. "American Idiot" was originally written as a protest song during the George Bush administration and includes direct criticisms of the former president as well as the media.