Singer and actress Ariana Grande has become the latest pop star to attack the White House after it used her music without permission in a social media post promoting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a TikTok video posted on 9 June 2026, showing arrests carried out by ICE, the White House used Ariana Grande's song "bye" as the soundtrack.
In the caption, the administration wrote: "Bye-bye 👋 President Trump has delivered 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, who is currently on her Eternal Sunshine Tour for her latest album, responded in the comments: "Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense."
The comment quickly attracted attention online but was later hidden by the White House account. However, the American singer made sure her message remained visible by sharing several screenshots of the comment on social media.
All of Ariana Grande’s comments were deleted by the administration’s social media team.
In response to the Trump administration's use of the song, Grande's team had the audio removed from the platform. The TikTok video promoting the administration's immigration policies remains available, but without sound.
Social media users quickly noticed that Grande's comment had been removed. The comment section is now filled with users criticising the White House and mocking the administration's social media strategy.
This is not the first time the White House has faced criticism over its use of popular music. Previously, the account's social media team was condemned for using songs by Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Kesha and Sabrina Carpenter.
