Tré Cool of Green Day Claps Back at Charlie XCX with Support from a “True Headliner”

Green Day Drummer Responds to Charli XCX

Green Day’s drummer, Tré Cool, has reacted to Charli XCX’s claim about being the “real headliner” at Coachella this past weekend.

Last week, the Brat star stirred up controversy when she showed up at a Coachella party wearing a belt that read “Miss should be a headliner.” She performed at 7 PM on the main stage, right before Green Day’s slot.

This sparked a backlash among some members of the punk band’s fan base, but now the drummer has taken a lighthearted approach to the situation, as evidenced by a photo he shared in response to Charli, which is circulating on social media.

The picture appears to have been taken during the festival by his wife, Kul Sarah Rose Wright. See here:

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The post shared by Green Day Peru (@grenday_peru)

Green Day’s Performance Highlights

Green Day also acknowledged Charli’s actions during their set on Saturday (April 19), when frontman Billy Joe Armstrong asked to borrow a cap from an audience member, which turned out to be a green cap that read “Brat.”

Frontman Green Day, Billy Joe Armstrong, dressed in a Brat hat during a headliner at Coachella tonight 💚 pic.twitter.com/6gcisig9zg

– XCX Source (@xcxSource) April 20, 2025

During their headline weekend, Green Day altered the lyrics to “Jesus of Suburbia” to address the ongoing conflict in Israel, with Armstrong replacing the original line with “Get away from pain, like children from Palestine/fairy tales from another broken house.“

A fan noted, “Green Day makes political statements about issues that actually matter, while a pop girl is singing about coke.” wrote one disappointed follower after the contrast between the two performances. “Charli XCX is allowing the hype to get to her head,” added another user on X/Twitter. “Green Day used their Coachella headline slot to discuss important issues. They are still more relevant than her.”

The second weekend saw them reiterate their political statements, with Armstrong modifying the lyrics again to “I’m (stupid) or I’m just J.D. Vance?,” a change he earlier incorporated, but did not reveal to the Coachella crowd until that night (April 19).

Furthermore, the band surprised fans with an unexpected guest appearance from Flav, who had previously appeared with children’s television icons Yo Gabba Gabba!. The Public Enemy founder opened Green Day’s set after emerging from a rabbit suit, a fun tradition at the group’s live shows.