Sabrina Carpenter condemned the White House for using her song Juno in a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) video depicting ICE raids.
The video, shared to The White House’s official X account, shows ICE officers detaining people while quoting lyrics from Carpenter’s song in the caption.
“Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye,” the White House X account wrote in the post attached to the video featuring Carpenter’s song, followed by a pair of waving and heart eyes emojis.
“This video is evil and disgusting,” Carpenter, 26, wrote in response. “Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
The White House video uses lyrics from Juno in which the singer references sex positions, asking: “Have you ever tried this one?” while showing people being handcuffed, tackled and more by ICE agents.
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The White House defended its immigration policy after Carpenter criticized it.
“Here’s a Short n’ Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement, using another Carpenter reference from her song Manchild.
Multiple musical artists over the years have requested Trump and his administration stop using their songs.
Kenny Loggins made headlines in October for speaking out against U.S. President Donald Trump using his song Danger Zone in an AI video posted to his Truth Social account in response to the “No Kings” protests.
In a statement shared with Variety, Loggins, 77, demanded that his song be removed from the video, which depicts Trump in a fighter jet dropping what appears to be fecal matter on “No Kings” protesters.
“This is an unauthorized use of my performance of Danger Zone. Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately,” Loggins said in the statement.
“I can’t imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us. Too many people are trying to tear us apart, and we need to find new ways to come together,” Loggins continued.
Danger Zone was famously used in the 1986 Top Gun film, which is what the AI video appears to be paying homage to.
In response to a request for comment on the video, a representative for the White House reportedly sent Variety a Top Gun meme that read: “I feel the need for speed.”
Legendary Canadian rocker Neil Young has long been outspoken about Trump, frequently criticizing the president’s policies and objecting the use of his music at political events.
In August 2020, Young filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign for copyright infringement one month after writing Trump an open letter asking him to cease using his music at campaign rallies.
“This complaint is not intended to disrespect the rights and opinions of American citizens, who are free to support the candidate of their choosing,” stated the complaint filed in New York federal court. “However, Plaintiff in good conscience cannot allow his music to be used as a ‘theme song’ for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”
Young said that Trump’s campaign lacked a licence to publicly perform the songs Rockin’ in the Free World and Devil’s Sidewalk. The musician stated that Trump has used his music for years without permission. Following the lawsuit, Trump no longer used Young’s music at rallies or on social media.
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