Ariana Grande sharply criticized the White House for using her song in a video
American singer Ariana Grande has responded to the use of her song in a White House video addressing U.S. immigration policy and the activities of the immigration agency ICE.
On June 8, the White House posted a video on TikTok showing ICE agents handcuffing detainees.
The video features Grande’s 2024 hit “Bye.”
The caption for the video read: “Bye-bye… President Trump has created the safest border in history.”
The singer publicly condemned the use of her music in this context: “Please do not use my music alongside this barbaric, inhumane, disgusting nonsense.”
Her comment was later deleted, but the reaction had already gone viral.
“In reality, what is barbaric, inhuman, and disgusting are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and killed innocent American citizens,” said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson.
According to U.S. media reports, the video was published after Donald Trump signed a bill allocating over $70 billion in funding for immigration agencies.
The incident involving Grande was the latest in a series of conflicts between artists and the White House over the use of music in political videos.
Previous instances include the use of Taylor Swift’s song “The Fate of Ophelia” in a patriotic White House video, a video featuring Olivia Rodrigo’s track “All-American Bitch,” to which the singer reacted sharply, and the use of Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Juno,” which also sparked public outrage from the artist.
In all cases, the musicians claimed that their works had been used without permission for political purposes and demanded that such practices cease.
The BBC reports on this.
Bye-bye President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history
Earlier, American singer, songwriter, actress, and Grammy Award winner Ariana Grande announced that her new album, "Eternal Sunshine," will be available on March 8.
