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Jon Kahn, the creative force behind the chart-topping Trump tribute “Fighter,” recently shared his emotional experience of losing his home in the devastating Palisades fire, emphasizing his commitment to staying resilient through faith.
The Pacific Palisades native witnessed the destruction of his residence in real-time through his Ring camera application after evacuating the area. The fire’s impact extended beyond his property, affecting his family members who also resided in the vicinity.
While initially believing both his mother’s and brother’s homes were destroyed, Kahn later discovered his brother’s residence had survived the blaze, despite the destruction of neighboring properties. The status of his mother’s home remains uncertain.
Jon Kahn is one of my best friends. We’ve known each other since 1991. My heart absolutely breaks for him. But I know he will get through this by faith, he is strong, he is a fighter and I love him. 🙏🏼💪🏼❤️🇺🇸 @mrjondavid pic.twitter.com/mSwLmDwuqM
— Kristy Swanson (@KristySwansonXO) January 9, 2025
“As far as what I do next, you know, you get back on your feet,” he explained. “There is nothing you can do about it. I’ve been leaning into faith these days, and I think I’m going to rely on that and lean on the support of all the love from all my friends, family, and even people I don’t know that have reached out. It’s been incredibly moving, the outpouring.”
When asked about his priorities during evacuation, which notably included his guitars and MAGA hats, Kahn clarified that his dog was his primary concern. He explained that his musical equipment held particular significance due to his recent success with “Fighter,” and he wanted to assure his social media followers that he would continue creating music despite the setback.
The song in question, “Fighter,” achieved remarkable success following its release after an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Within three days, it accumulated over 10 million views across various platforms and dominated multiple music charts, including Billboard’s Digital Sales Charts and iTunes’ Download Charts. The track’s universal message of perseverance resonated beyond political boundaries, becoming an anthem of resilience.
I want to thank everybody so much for the incredible outpouring of support. It's beyond moving during these surreal times. My next song is about faith and this is a true test for so many but that's what I'm going to lean into. My thoughts are with all the other victims and I know… pic.twitter.com/YGZFW5ENLV
— Jon Kahn Music (@mrjondavid) January 9, 2025
Trump himself acknowledged the tribute on his social media platforms, describing it as “such an unexpected honor.” The song became a staple at Trump’s campaign events, particularly at his comeback rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, following the assassination attempt.
When questioned about potential frustration with local leadership, Kahn maintained a measured response. He acknowledged the complex emotions he experienced while watching his property burn through his security camera, wondering about the absence of emergency responders despite understanding their stretched resources.
“I’m not at a point of bitterness right now,” he continued. “I’m at a point of intermittent disbelief and grief and shock and resolve. But it’s tricky because when I drove two and a half hours to get to my Dad’s place when I evacuated — and he lives six miles away — and when I got there, I looked at my front door Ring camera and saw my fence on fire, and I saw the embers, and I thought as I sat there, ‘Where’s are the firefighters? Where are they?’ And I know they’re bending over backwards. They’re doing everything they can, but you’re sitting there knowing that your house is about to burn, and you’re just going, ‘Please see a fire truck.’ And I can’t blame them personally because I know that they are over-extended. But I think there will be a lot of time for people to figure why this happened and how it could have been improved.”
