By Julia Pierrepont III
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration is facing mounting criticism for allegedly misusing copyrighted music to "promote hateful messages," with the latest dispute involving pop star Sabrina Carpenter drawing widespread attention on Tuesday.
A newly posted video on the White House's TikTok account repeatedly uses the melody and lyrics of Carpenter's hit song Juno without authorization, set against scenes of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detaining immigrants, chasing individuals, and carrying out handcuffing operations.
Carpenter swiftly condemned the use of her music, posting on X Tuesday: "This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda."
In response, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended the video in a statement to local media outlets, saying, "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?" Jackson added.
The exchange placed Carpenter -- known for global hits such as Espresso -- among a growing roster of artists angered by the political use and exploitation of their music by the White House.
Her objection highlighted the increasingly strained relationship between pop musicians and U.S. government agencies accused of using popular songs without permission to attract attention online or reinforce official narratives.
Her criticism mirrored that of other artists who have protested similar usage in deportation-themed videos.
In November, pop star Olivia Rodrigo publicly rebuked the White House after her song All-American Bitch appeared in a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) video urging undocumented immigrants to self-deport. She wrote, "Don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda."
The DHS video overlaid the track on footage of ICE operations and scenes portraying immigrants seemingly choosing to depart the country, accompanied by the caption: "LEAVE NOW and self-deport using the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) Home app. If you don't, you will face the consequences." The song was later removed from the Instagram post following Rodrigo's objection.
British singer Jess Glynne also denounced the White House for using a TikTok soundtrack featuring her song Hold My Hand in a deportation-linked video, saying the post made her "sick" and emphasizing that her music stands for "love, unity, and positivity."
American rock band MGMT objected to the unauthorized use of Little Dark Age in an ICE video showing agents detaining protesters, filing a takedown request that succeeded in removing the music, though not the footage.
Comedian Theo Von similarly demanded DHS stop using a clip of him in its videos, noting that his views on immigration were more nuanced than the government's messaging.
Political misuse of music has extended beyond immigration. A long list of artists have objected to President Donald Trump's use of their work over the years.
Beyonce issued a cease-and-desist after her song Freedom was used by Trump's campaign. The estates of Tom Petty and Sinead O'Connor, along with Neil Young, Celine Dion, Victor Willis of Village People, and guitarist Jack White, have all demanded he stop using their material. Swedish group ABBA, the Foo Fighters, and Kenny Loggins have taken similar positions.
Loggins protested an AI-generated video featuring Danger Zone without authorization, calling it an illegal use of his performance and requesting its removal. Despite his request, the video continued circulating on Trump's platform, though it was not officially endorsed.
Legal expert J. Marks told Xinhua Tuesday that artists opposing unauthorized political use of their music -- especially in deportation-related videos -- have a legal basis for doing so, noting, "Trump can't just break the law and use other people's fine work and artistic creations without permission. He is not above the law."
However, legal action against the Trump administration can be costly and complex, prompting many artists to issue public statements instead to inform fans and assert their stance.
Moreover, the online media outlet Zeteo reported Tuesday that sources within the Trump administration said officials had at times intentionally used songs from outspoken anti-Trump artists to provoke a backlash and amplify their culture-war messaging.
"We do it on purpose," one White House official was quoted as saying. ■