Doechii Calls Out Trump During 2025 BET Awards Acceptance Speech

June 10, 2025

Doechii took home the Best Female Hip Hop Artist award at the 2025 BET Awards and delivered a fiery acceptance speech calling out President Trump and addressing injustice.

Doechii Wins Best Female Hip Hop Artist at 2025 BET Awards

On Monday (June 9), the BET Awards went down live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. TDE’s Doechii was announced as the Best Female Hip Hop Artist winner following a huge past year. She beat out stiff competition in Cardi B, Doja Cat, GloRilla, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Rapsody and Sexyy Red.

Doechii Addresses Protests and Injustice During Fiery Acceptance Speech

After thanking BET and shouting out her fellow nominees, Doechii delivered a spirited monologue about the current protests going on in downtown Los Angeles in response to recent federal ICE raids.

“As much as I’m honored by this award, I do want to address what’s happening right now outside of the building,” Doechii says in the video below. “There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order.”

She adds: “Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. I want y’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?”

“People are being swept up and torn from their families, and I feel it’s my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people. For Black people, for Latino people, for Trans people, for the people in Gaza, we all deserve to live in hope and not in fear. I hope we stand together, my brothers and my sisters, against hate, and we protest against it. Thank you, BET.”

Anti-immigration raid protests began lasts week after the Immigration and Customs Enforcement began rounding up Los Angeles residents deemed illegal aliens last week. ICE reported arresting 118 people on June 7, “including five gang members and numerous criminal aliens” in a series of raids in the Los Angeles area. In response, protests started outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, resulting in police deploying tear gas and pepper spray on Sunday (June 8). The protests continued today.

President Trump has threatened to send 2,000 members of the National Guard to L.A. to “address the lawlessness.” However, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pushed back, claiming Trump’s threats are only “inflaming tensions.”

The 2025 BET Awards Performers and Nominees

Performers at this year’s event included Playboi Carti, GloRilla, Lil Wayne, Mariah Carey, Teyana Taylor, T.I., Bow Bow and more. Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Mariah Carey will receive the Ultimate Icon Award.

Kendrick Lamar leads all artists with 10 nominations. His nods include Album of the Year for GNX, Video of the Year for “Not Like Us” and three Viewer’s Choice Award nominations for “Not Like Us,” “Luther,” featuring SZA, and “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin. In addition, he’s been recognized in the Best Collaboration category for “Like That,” “30 for 30” and “Luther,” featuring SZA, Video Director of the Year with Dave Free and Best Male Hip Hop Artist.