Katy Perry's public objection
Katy Perry publicly condemned the official White House TikTok account for using her 2010 single "Firework" without authorization as the soundtrack to a video depicting military strikes, writing on X on July 25 that she was "deeply appalled and angry." In her statement, Perry said she had not approved the use of the song and was not consulted beforehand, adding that she "absolutely do not condone it" and that weaponizing her anthem of hope to "soundtrack destruction and violence" amounted to "a complete violation of everything my song stands for." She framed the track as intended to bring people together, not to celebrate warfare.
The White House video
The White House TikTok account posted the video on Thursday, July 23, featuring footage of explosions set to the lyric "Boom, boom, boom / Even brighter than the moon." The clip carried the caption "Iran has been warned," framing the imagery as a warning regarding military action. Perry's objection was issued two days after the video appeared on the platform.
Pattern of prior artist objections
Perry is the latest in a string of artists to publicly push back against the White House's use of their music on official social media accounts. Ariana Grande criticized the account for using her song "Bye" in a post promoting U.S. immigration arrests, leaving a since-removed comment reading "Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense." SZA responded to a December 2025 White House post that used her viral SNL track "Big Boys" alongside footage of ICE arrests, writing that "White House rage-baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK" and calling it "evil n boring." Sabrina Carpenter also condemned the use of her track "Juno" over a video showing ICE arrest operations, calling the clip "evil and disgusting," and Olivia Rodrigo described a joint White House and Department of Homeland Security Instagram post featuring her song "All-American B***" as "deeply disturbing" propaganda, later telling Dazed that seeing her music paired with the imagery left her feeling "enraged."
Online reaction
Perry's statement quickly circulated across social platforms, drawing commentary and criticism from multiple audiences. The exchange was covered across a spectrum of outlets, with the singer's post going viral amid a broader, ongoing dispute between the White House's social media operation and recording artists over the unauthorized use of songs in political content.
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