Ariana Grande has condemned the White House for using her music in a video showing the detention of immigrants, calling the move 'barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense'. The video, posted earlier this week, featured a montage of ICE agents handcuffing and detaining individuals, set to Grande's 2024 song 'Bye'. The caption read: 'Bye-bye 👋 President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history'.
Grande commented on the post: 'Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.' The music has since been removed from the video.
Grande is the latest in a series of musicians who have criticised the White House for using their songs in pro-Trump or ICE-related content. Sabrina Carpenter described a similar video as 'evil and disgusting', while Jess Glynne said she felt 'sick' after her song 'Hold My Hand' was used. In October 2025, Kenny Loggins asked for his track 'Danger Zone' to be removed from an AI-generated video posted by Donald Trump.
Some artists have accused the White House of deliberately provoking them for free publicity. SZA wrote: 'White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK ..inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring.' When asked about using Taylor Swift's music in a November 2025 video, the White House told Variety: 'We made this video because we knew fake news media brands like Variety would breathlessly amplify them. Congrats, you got played.'
Grande is preparing to release her eighth studio album, 'Petal', on 31 July. The lead single, 'Hate That I Made You Love Me', is currently the most-streamed song daily on Spotify globally and topped charts in the UK and US in its opening week.
