Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter has launched a fierce public rebuke of Donald Trump's White House after officials used one of her songs to accompany a video depicting aggressive immigration raids.
A Viral Lyric Overlaid on Arrests
The controversy erupted on 7 September, when the official White House account on X (formerly Twitter) posted a video showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arresting multiple individuals, believed to be in Chicago. The clip was soundtracked by Carpenter's hit song 'Juno', specifically featuring its viral lyric: "Have you ever tried this one?" The line played over scenes of agents chasing, tackling, and handcuffing people, with only some faces obscured.
Carpenter responded swiftly and unequivocally. "This video is evil and disgusting," the singer declared. "Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda." Her statement directly challenges the administration's tactic of using popular music, often tied to internet memes, to put a polished sheen on enforcement actions that have sparked widespread protest.
A Growing Chorus of Artist Outrage
Carpenter is far from the first musician to object to the Trump White House co-opting their work. Earlier in September, the administration used a track by Carpenter's friend and collaborator, Taylor Swift. A montage of Trump's social media posts criticising Swift, who endorsed Kamala Harris, was set to her song 'The Fate of Ophelia'. Swift has not publicly commented.
In October, veteran artist Kenny Loggins condemned the use of his song 'Danger Zone' in an AI-generated video that showed Trump dumping faeces on protesters. Loggins stated he would have denied permission and demanded the recording be removed immediately.
British singer Jess Glynne was similarly blunt this summer when her 2015 single 'Hold My Hand' was used to promote ICE deportations. "This post honestly makes me sick," Glynne wrote, later telling the Guardian the use was antithetical to the song's message of love and support. The airline Jet2, whose advert revived the song's popularity, also condemned the video.
The Hardline Immigration Crackdown
These musical disputes occur against the backdrop of a significantly hardened US immigration policy. In the ten months since Trump's return to office, his administration has supercharged enforcement, authorising a system of mass arrests, incarcerations, and deportations.
While the President claims to be targeting "dangerous criminals", Guardian analysis indicates most people arrested by ICE have no criminal convictions. Human rights experts have raised serious concerns over the detention of children and arrests without due process. Recently, the administration announced a total pause on asylum decisions, stranding 1.5 million people in legal limbo.
The White House's social media strategy frequently celebrates these operations and the fear they instil, framing them as part of a crackdown on violent crime. The use of catchy, familiar pop songs appears designed to normalise and even glorify these contentious policies, a tactic that an increasing number of artists are now forcefully rejecting.
