Topline

The White House deleted a video it posted to its X account earlier this week that used a Sabrina Carpenter song set to footage of immigration authorities detaining migrants, which prompted the singer to hit back and call the video ā€œevil and disgusting.ā€

Sabrina Carpenter called the White House’s video “evil and disgusting.” (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

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Key Facts

The video is no longer available on the White House’s X account as of Friday afternoon, and although it is still up on TikTok, the audio of Carpenter’s song is no longer available.

It’s unclear why the video was taken down, though some artists have previously complained about the Trump administration’s use of their music and forced it to take such posts down on copyright grounds.

Carpenter slammed the White House in a response to its since-deleted post that has garnered 1.7 million likes: ā€œThis video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.ā€

Before the post was deleted, the White House doubled down and slammed Carpenter in a statement using her own lyrics: ā€œHere’s a Short n’ Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?ā€ White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told CNN.

The video was set to an edited version of Carpenter’s song ā€œJuno,ā€ which repeats the line: ā€œHave you ever tried this one?ā€ and each time the line repeated, the video showed a different clip of ICE officers detaining immigrants, some of whom were handcuffed, chased and held to the ground.

ā€œHave you ever tried this one? Bye-bye šŸ‘‹šŸ˜ā€ the White House said in the caption.

The audio has previously been used in a viral TikTok trend in which users would satirically mimic different sex positions each time the ā€œHave you ever tried this one?ā€ line plays, inspired by Carpenter’s performances of ā€œJunoā€ on tour, in which she would mimic a different sex position during each show.

What Other Singers Have Criticized The White House?

In November, singer Olivia Rodrigo slammed the White House for using her song ā€œAll-American Bitchā€ in a video urging immigrants to self-deport. ā€œDon’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,ā€ Rodrigo said in a social media comment. Singer Jess Glynne criticized the White House for using the viral Jet2holiday TikTok sound, which includes her song ā€œHold My Hand,ā€ in a social media video about ICE deportations. ā€œThis post honestly makes me sick,ā€ Glynne said, stating her ā€œmusic is about love, unity, and spreading positivity — never about division or hate.ā€ The band MGMT said on Instagram in October it issued a takedown request to the Department of Homeland Security for the unauthorized use of its song ā€œLittle Dark Ageā€ in a ā€œpropaganda videoā€ of ICE agents detaining protesters. The video is still available on Instagram but no longer contains the song. Comedian Theo Von also slammed DHS for using a clip of him in a video in September. ā€œI know you know my address so send a check,ā€ he said. ā€œPlease take this down and please keep me out of your ā€˜banger’ deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are a lot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!”

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