Pop star calls video “evil and disgusting”
Pop star Sabrina Carpenter has sharply criticized the White House for using her music without permission in a video showcasing aggressive US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. The clip, posted on the official White House account on X, features ICE agents detaining, chasing, and handcuffing individuals in urban areas while looping a snippet of Carpenter’s lyric, “Have you ever tried this one,” from her hit song “Juno.”
The video was captioned, “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye,” and was accompanied by a waving and a heart-eyes emoji. Carpenter condemned the move, writing on X that the video was “evil and disgusting,” adding, “Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
White House responds with pointed remark
In response to Sabrina Carpenter’s criticism, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s actions and issued a sharply worded rebuttal to Fox News. “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 said, referencing Carpenter’s album Short n’ Sweet and her track Manchild.
Similar objection was made earlier by Olivia Rodrigo
Sabrina Carpenter’s clash with the White House comes just weeks after fellow pop star Olivia Rodrigo objected to her music being used in another Trump administration deportation-themed video. In that clip, posted on the White House and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Instagram accounts, ICE agents were shown detaining individuals as Rodrigo’s song All-American btch* played in the background.
The video began with the warning “IF ICE FINDS YOU” and depicted immigrants seemingly preparing to self-deport. It ended with the message, “LEAVE NOW and self-deport using the CBP Home app. If you don’t, you will face the consequences.”
Rodrigo wrote, “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” Although her comment was later deleted, it had already been widely circulated. Instagram ultimately removed the track from the video, replacing it with an error message stating, “This song is currently unavailable.”
A DHS spokesperson defended the agencies involved, telling The Guardian, “America is grateful all the time for our federal law enforcement officers who keep us safe. We suggest Ms Rodrigo thank them for their service, not belittle their sacrifice.”
A growing list of artists distancing their music from Trump-era messaging
Sabrina Carpenter and Rodrigo now join a long list of artists who have objected to Donald Trump or his administration using their music without consent. Over the years, stars including Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, and Jess Glynne have publicly rejected the association of their songs with Trump’s political messaging.
