Ariana Grande Tells White House to Back Off Her Music After ICE TikTok Controversy
Ariana Grande has never shied away from speaking her mind, and her recent comments about immigration enforcement have only added to that reputation. The pop star has spent much of 2026 weighing in on political issues, from wearing statement pins at award shows to amplifying activist messages online. Now her name is back in headlines, but this time it involves her music being used in a way she clearly did not approve of.
The controversy started when the official White House TikTok account posted a video showcasing ICE agents arresting and handcuffing people, captioned with a reference to border security. The clip was set to Grande’s song “Bye” from her Eternal Sunshine album, with the caption reading “Bye-bye” and crediting President Trump for delivering what it called the most secure border in history.
@whitehouse Bye-bye 👋 President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history
♬ original sound – The White House
Grande did not hold back once she saw the video circulating. She commented directly on the post, writing “Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. F— ICE.” The remark quickly went viral, though it later became difficult to find on the original post.
A spokesperson for Grande confirmed to Variety that the singer did write the comment, but for some reason it was no longer publicly visible on the video. Her team also moved fast behind the scenes, working to get the audio pulled from the White House’s clip entirely. Within hours, that effort paid off.
“Bye” was muted on the video, with the description updated to read “This sound isn’t available.” It marked yet another instance of a White House social media post losing its soundtrack after backlash from the artist behind it.
The administration was not silent in response. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Variety, “We’ll say this one last time, what’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.” Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai also chimed in with a pointed reply referencing Grande’s own discography while addressing her previous criticisms of the administration.
This is far from an isolated incident. Grande joins a growing list of musicians, including Sabrina Carpenter and SZA, who have demanded the White House stop using their music without permission since Trump’s second term began. Just months earlier, Olivia Rodrigo also condemned the administration for using her song “All-American Bitch” in a self-deportation video. British singer Jess Glynne similarly said she felt sick after her track “Hold My Hand” was used to soundtrack footage of deportation flights.
For Grande, this latest clash adds another chapter to a year already marked by political statements, including an ‘ICE OUT’ pin worn at the Golden Globes and social media posts urging fans to contact their senators about immigration policy. Whether the White House continues using pop hits for its messaging or finally rethinks the strategy after so many public rebukes remains to be seen.
What do you think Ariana Grande’s response says about how artists are pushing back against the White House’s use of their music this year.
