Neil Young’s US Citizenship Journey: An Ordeal under the Trump Administration, Claims Daryl Hannah

The legendary musician Neil Young’s journey to US citizenship was reportedly marred by a series of bureaucratic hurdles during the first Trump administration, according to his wife, actress Daryl Hannah. Best known for her role in “Steel Magnolias”, Hannah has come forward with claims that the renowned singer-songwriter was subjected to a calculated ordeal to “mess up” his application process when he sought to become a dual Canadian-American citizen.

In an interview with the BBC, Hannah revealed the alleged ploys of the Trump administration to disrupt Young’s citizenship process. She stated that they tried “every trick in the book” to complicate his application, making him repeatedly return for interviews. Hannah found this particularly disconcerting, considering that Young had been living and paying taxes in the US since his 20s.

Furthermore, she expressed worry about the treatment of individuals with green cards or visas under the Trump policies. The “The Pope of Greenwich Village” star described the detainment of such individuals as “hideous and horrifying”, but remained hopeful that American citizens would still be allowed to reenter the country.

Neil Young, the former member of the band “Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young”, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. He had even sued Trump in 2020 in an effort to prevent the then-president from playing his 1991 hit “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” at political rallies. Although Young eventually dropped the lawsuit, he has continued to express disapproval of the Trump administration, even during its second term.

Additionally, Hannah’s concerns extended beyond her husband’s citizenship ordeal to include fears of reentry into the US. Young himself expressed apprehension about returning to America, given his public criticisms of Trump. In a post on his website, Young speculated that he might be barred from reentry or even jailed, forced to sleep on a “cement floor with an aluminum blanket”.

Despite his political strife, however, Young’s musical career remains uninhibited. After previously boycotting the Glastonbury music festival due to a misinformation error, Young is now scheduled to headline the event this coming June. He announced his return to the festival on his website, expressing his affection for the event.

In addition to the citizenship debacle, Young has had public disagreements with the music streaming platform Spotify. He publicly advised employees to quit the company “before it eats your soul” following the platform’s continued support of controversial host Joe Rogan. Young had briefly removed his music catalogue from Spotify in 2022 but reinstated his tracks in 2024.

In conclusion, despite the alleged efforts of the first Trump administration to hinder his citizenship process, Neil Young remains a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. His outspoken nature continues to be seen in both his political stands and his commitment to his musical career, making him a prominent figure in the entertainment world.