Grammy-winning singer Ariana Grande has criticised the White House for using her hit song “Bye” in a social media video promoting immigration arrests, demanding that her music not be associated with what she described as “barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”
The controversy erupted after the White House recently shared a video on its social media platforms showing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arresting individuals identified as alleged illegal migrants. The footage featured scenes of handcuffing, detainee transportation and processing at detention centres, accompanied by a soundbite from Grande’s song Bye and the caption: “Bye-bye… President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”
Responding in the video’s comment section, Grande wrote, “Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.” The comment was later removed, but her objection quickly drew public attention.
The White House, however, rejected the singer’s criticism. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s immigration policies, saying, “What’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.”
Following Grande’s objection, the White House muted the video’s audio, although the clip remained online.
Grande joins a growing number of artistes who have publicly opposed the Trump administration’s use of their music. In 2025, Sabrina Carpenter asked the White House to exclude her work from what she called the president’s “inhumane” agenda. Music acts including ABBA, Céline Dion and Beyoncé have also previously raised similar concerns.
The singer has been a vocal critic of the administration in the past. Last year, she questioned Trump’s supporters online, asking whether the president’s policies had improved their daily lives.
