Ariana Grande, the US pop superstar, has demanded that the administration of Donald Trump cease using her music to promote its immigration enforcement policies.
The demand follows the release of a video on the White House’s social media platform that featured her hit song, Bye.
The video showed officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arresting individuals identified as alleged undocumented migrants.
The footage included scenes of handcuffing, detainee transport, and processing at detention centres.
The clip was set to a soundbite from Grande’s track “Bye,” with an on-screen caption reading: “Bye-bye… President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”
Grande responded directly in the video’s comment section, which has since been removed, demanding that the White House stop using her work.
She characterised the administration’s immigration crackdown as “barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”
“Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” the Grammy-winning artiste wrote.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson pushed back against Grande’s characterisation, placing responsibility on undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes.
“What’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens,” Jackson said.
Following Grande’s objection, the White House muted the video’s audio, though the clip remained visible on the platform.
Grande now joins a growing list of artistes who have publicly objected to the Trump administration’s use of their music.
In 2025, Sabrina Carpenter requested that the White House exclude her and her work from what she called the president’s “inhumane” agenda.
Members of ABBA, Celine Dion, and Beyonce have also previously issued similar objections.
Last year, Grande also criticised Trump supporters, asking whether his administration had benefited their daily lives.
