The White House has responded with a pun-filled statement to pop star Sabrina Carpenter after she criticised the Trump administration for using her song in a video promoting deportation efforts. The video, posted on official White House social media accounts, shows a montage of people being arrested by ICE agents, set to Carpenter's hit 'Juno'.
Carpenter called the video 'evil and disgusting' on X/Twitter, adding: 'Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.' In response, a White House spokesperson said: 'Here’s a Short’n’Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologise for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country.'
The video features the repeated lyrics 'Have you ever tried this one?' over arrests, with a caption reading: 'Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye,' accompanied by a kissy face emoji. The clip has drawn criticism on TikTok, with users accusing the White House of making light of ICE arrests and using the song without permission.
This incident follows a similar controversy last month, when Olivia Rodrigo criticised the Department of Homeland Security for using her song 'All-American B****' in a deportation video. Rodrigo called it 'racist, hateful propaganda,' and the soundtrack was later removed. Both artists join a list of musicians, including Jack White, Beyoncé, and the Rolling Stones, who have objected to the Trump administration using their music without consent.
