“Taylor Swift has chosen to align herself with a political figure and, in doing so, has alienated a large portion of the country music community,” the statement read. “While we respect her right to express her views, we believe that country music should remain a space for entertainment, not political discourse. As such, we have made the difficult decision to revoke her CMA awards.”

The decision, while shocking, was not entirely unexpected given the CMA’s history of keeping its distance from political controversy. The statement concluded with a thinly veiled jab at Swift’s foray into politics: “Taylor Swift was once a shining star in country music. We only wish she had stayed true to her roots and avoided the divisive nature of politics.”