American singer Ariana Grande has expressed her disapproval of the Trump administration using her music to endorse its policies. The singer’s objection arose following the White House sharing a TikTok video showcasing its immigration stance, featuring Grande’s song “Bye” from 2024. Grande took to a comment on the video, posted on Thursday, urging the administration to cease associating her music with what she called “barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”
In response to Grande’s stance, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the video, stating that the true barbarism lies with criminal illegal aliens who harm innocent Americans. Reports suggest that Grande’s team is actively exploring ways to remove her music from the video promptly.
This is not the first instance of an artist’s music being used without authorization by the Trump administration. Other artists like Neil Young, John Fogerty, Phil Collins, Panic! At The Disco, and the estates of Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, and Prince have also objected to such unauthorized use, with some resorting to legal action.
President Trump, currently serving his second non-consecutive term, frequently employs popular songs in short videos shared by his communication team on social media to highlight his administration’s initiatives, including immigration enforcement and military actions.