3 Doors Down’s past political visibility has resurfaced after a widely shared X post revived the band’s January 2017 appearance tied to President Donald Trump’s inauguration festivities. This comes after singer Brad Arnold’s tragic death over the weekend.
3 Doors Down connection to Donald Trump
In the post, Gunther Eagleman wrote that 3 Doors Down “rocked the stage” at Trump’s inauguration in 2017, and named songs performed including “Kryptonite” and “When I’m Gone,” before adding the “RIP.”
The renewed attention has also put a spotlight back on the group’s political history. 3 Doors Down’s presence at inauguration-related events in 2017 placed the Mississippi rock band among a small set of mainstream acts willing to be publicly associated with Trump at the start of his presidency, a decision that became a recurring talking point whenever the band’s name trended online.
Arnold was periodically the centre of intense online speculation about his well-being, including previous fan concern when his cancer battle was documented in photos, with social media users sometimes treating old material as breaking news.
Brad Arnold recently passed away on Saturday, nine months after disclosing that he had kidney cancer, the group said. He was 47. Arnold stated in a May last year on social media video that he had been diagnosed with advanced-stage clear cell renal carcinoma that had spread to one of his lungs. 3 Doors Down canceled their planned 2025 summer tour because of his illness.
🚨Throwback to January 2017: 3 Doors Down absolutely rocked the stage at President Trump’s inauguration!
Brad Arnold and the band brought that raw energy, belting out hits like “Kryptonite” and “When I’m Gone” to kick things off right.
RIP Brad Arnold 🙏pic.twitter.com/hr1mAYVLkH
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 7, 2026
