NEWSAriana Grande Demands White House Stop Using Her Music in ICE Video
Ariana Grande condemned the White House's use of her song in a TikTok video.
June 16 2026, Updated 7:55 p.m. ET
Ariana Grande does not want her breakup song used as the soundtrack for the White House’s immigration agenda.
The Grammy-winning singer and Wicked star objected after the White House posted a TikTok video featuring her 2024 song “bye” over footage of federal agents arresting and handcuffing people. The clip, which promoted President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, quickly became the latest collision between pop music, political messaging and artists who do not want their work pulled into the administration’s social media machine.
Ariana Grande Draws the Line
The White House used ‘bye’ in an ICE-related TikTok video.
“Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” Grande wrote in a since-deleted comment on the White House TikTok on June 11, according to Reuters.
Grande also reportedly added, “F--- ICE.”
A source close to the singer told Reuters that Grande’s team was looking into how to get the music removed from the video as soon as possible. The TikTok clip later appeared to have the sound removed.
The White House Fires Back
The administration defended its immigration messaging.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded to Grande by defending the administration’s immigration message.
“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,” Jackson said.
The White House video was captioned, “Bye-bye. President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”
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The singer’s team reportedly sought to remove the music.
Trump and his communications team have leaned heavily into short, music-driven social media videos, using popular songs to package clips about immigration enforcement, military operations against Iran and other administration priorities. But that approach has repeatedly created backlash when artists object to having their music attached to political messaging.
Pop Stars vs. Political Soundtracks
Olivia Rodrigo was among the artists who disputed the administration's use of their music.
Grande is not the first major artist to clash with Trumpworld over song use. Celine Dion, Rihanna, Jess Glynne, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and Beyoncé have all had public disputes with the administration over its use of their music.
Grande has also been openly critical of the administration’s immigration policies, wearing an “ICE OUT” pin to the Golden Globes earlier this year and sharing information with followers about how to contact senators in their state.
