DUKES OF HAZZARD Star Celebrates America’s Efforts for ‘Peace Through Strength’

Published: July 13, 2026

By Michaela Gordoni

DUKES OF HAZZARD’s John Schneider was delighted to be a part of America’s 250th birthday.

“It’s an honor because we’re here in DC, and we were asked by the present administration, so that’s really terrific, so I’m jazzed about it,” he told Fox News Digital.

The actor and singer performed on stage on the Freedom Stage for America’s 250th Anniversary on July 4.

“In 1976, I was 16 years old, and I went with my high school to Disney World and celebrated the bicentennial, and I’m proud of our country…I believe in peace through strength, and that’s what we’re involved in now,” the actor said.

In 2022, Schneider made and starred in a patriotic movie, TO DIE FOR.

“I read a story about a man who went to jail, rather than adhere to a restraining order keeping him from driving within 300 yards of the local high school with the American flag on the back of his truck,” Schnieder said. “It inspired me to jump into this character and build a character who was a veteran, who understands sacrifice, who understands a willingness to potentially die for his country, and who does not understand, under any circumstances, why young people are being applauded for disrespecting our flag at sporting events.”

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Schneider never approached Hollywood with his project and made it with a crew of 10 people over 10 months.

In Hollywood, “There’s not a lot of room in that model for free speech. You really have to work, I believe, outside that model, ’cause that model’s not going to change,” he said in 2022.

The actor believes he got blacklisted from Hollywood roles after he publicly announced his vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 elections.

“When I left that sandbox, I [had] no intention of going back to it,” Schneider reflected. “If I felt like they do, I wouldn’t work with me either. But I feel like I do, so I don’t want to work with them.”

“You know, it’s not all about them. I think that’s a mistake a lot of creative folks make. This carrot of working for the machine is dangling out there and they want it…which causes them to compromise their position, which oftentimes looks like hypocrisy… It is hypocrisy in the eyes of their audience,” he said.

He urges Americans to not watch or support content that doesn’t align with their views.

“If you see some celebrity out there saying something that you just don’t like, then don’t go [watch] their films,” Schneider said. “Don’t listen to their music…Support the things you do like and stop supporting things you don’t like. You have the power in your support. They just don’t want you to know it.”

The actor-singer is currently working on a documentary of his Happy Birthday, America Tour. While it nears completion, he has not announced the release date yet.

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