Key facts
- Zara Larsson has criticized the White House for using her song "Midnight Sun" in a social media reel.
- The video appeared to show immigration enforcement raids and was captioned "never ending deportations".
- Larsson described the use of her song as "dehumanizing" and divisive.
- The song has since been removed from the White House's post.
- Other artists, including Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, have previously warned the Trump administration against using their music.
Swedish pop star Zara Larsson has publicly criticized the White House for using her song "Midnight Sun" in a social media reel that depicted immigration enforcement raids. Larsson posted a reaction video on social media, which has garnered over 4.2 million views on TikTok, describing the White House's use of her music as "dehumanizing" and divisive.
The White House video, captioned "never ending deportations," spliced together footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other law enforcement personnel handcuffing individuals and placing them into vehicles. Larsson stated that the people in the video are "real people" who are "just trying to have a better future" and accused the White House of trivializing serious issues.
The song has since been removed from the White House's post, but the video remains visible on their TikTok feed. This incident follows a pattern of artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and Olivia Rodrigo, condemning the Trump administration for using their music in official content, often leading to the removal of the songs.