Pink released "Dear Mr. President" in 2006 as an open letter directed at then-U.S. President George W. Bush, laying out her frustration and sadness at many of his executive decisions, including his opposition to gay marriage, education policy and handling of the Iraq War. The messaging unfortunately remains relevant, which is what led to Kiana Ledé opting to cover it. Fourteen years later, Ledé says the song's message remains relevant. In her cover, she maintains the original song's stripped, tender piano balladry, but funnels the emotions through her identity as a millennial Black woman under the reign of President Donald Trump.
In order to keep her version consistent with current times, Ledé changed a few of the lyrics to represent her frustration with the current administration. "You sent their parents to different places then left them sitting in your cages," she croons in the reworked second verse, making reference to the immigrant family separation policy. "What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away? What kind of man thinks a marriage isn't right if you are gay?"
"I hope this song drives people to VOTE because Trump is a symbol of racism and we are facing the impending doom of his re-election," Ledé explained in the YouTube video description. "In order for us to follow through, he needs to be replaced." To further drive her notion home, the singer and Republic Records pledged to donate the track's net proceeds to the NAACP Empowerment Programs.
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