“Betrayed the Trust Loaned to You”: Chester Bennington’s Son Scathingly Sounds off on Linkin Park Reunion

Jaime Bennington, oldest son of the late Chester Bennington, has publicly called out Linkin Park for their reunion and hiring of new vocalist Emily Armstrong. Armstrong has been surrounded by controversy and speculation since her joining the band was announced last week. Now, Jaime is calling out Linkin Park co-founder Mike Shinoda for what he believes is a complete erasure of his father’s legacy.

In a series of Instagram stories on September 9, which have now disappeared after the allotted 24 hours, Jaime addressed the band and shared his grievances. He penned multiple long paragraphs laying out his criticisms, beginning with accusing Shinoda of “quietly eras[ing] my father’s life and legacy in real time… during international suicide prevention month,” per a report from Variety.

Jaime also highlighted the controversy surrounding Armstrong, citing her alleged ties to Scientology and her support of convicted rapist Danny Masterson. He additionally claimed that Shinoda and the band “have refused to acknowledge the impact of hiring someone like Emily without so much as a clarifying statement on the variety of victims that make up your core fan base.”

[RELATED: Emily Armstrong Joins Linkin Park to Divided Opinions, But Fellow Artists are Singing Praises]

Jaime Bennington Criticizes Linkin Park and Mike Shinoda, Claims They “Betrayed the Trust Loaned to You” By Fans

Jaime Bennington posted a second story on Instagram calling out Shinoda. “‘What you’ve done’ is not something for people to acclimate to,” he wrote. “It’s not a shock that people are just going to have to take time [to] process and understand. You have betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself.”

He continued, “We trusted you to be the bigger better person. To be the change. Because you promised us that was your intention. Now you’re just senile and tone deaf. Insane. At this point, I would wager that all you [Linkin Park] guys know is disrespect.”

On September 6, Emily Armstrong released her own statement about supporting Danny Masterson. She claimed she wanted to “clear the air” after the outpouring of criticism.

“Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance, and went to one early hearing as an observer,” she wrote on an Instagram story. “Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have. I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him. I have never spoken with him since … To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.”

Featured Image by Steve C Mitchell/EPA/Shutterstock