American pop superstar Ariana Grande has publicly called on the administration of Donald Trump to stop using her music in social media content promoting government policies.
The criticism came after the White House shared a video on TikTok earlier this week highlighting its immigration enforcement efforts. The clip, which featured federal agents detaining and handcuffing individuals, was accompanied by Grande’s 2024 song, Bye.
Responding directly in the comments section of the video on Thursday, the Grammy Award-winning singer expressed strong opposition to the use of her music in the post.
“Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” Grande wrote.
The White House had not publicly responded to the singer’s remarks at the time of reporting.
According to a source close to the artist, Grande’s team is exploring options to have the music removed from the video as soon as possible.
The singer and Academy Award-nominated actress has previously been critical of Trump and his administration. Last year, she shared a post on Instagram questioning supporters about whether their lives had improved since Trump’s return to office.
Trump, who is currently serving a second non-consecutive term as president, maintains a highly active social media presence. His communications team frequently publishes short-form videos featuring popular music to promote government policies and campaign promises.
Several recent posts have used chart-topping songs alongside footage related to immigration enforcement operations, US military actions and high-profile arrests.
The latest dispute adds to a growing list of artists who have objected to the use of their music in political messaging, reigniting debate over how popular songs are utilised in government and campaign-related content on social media platforms.
