Katy Perry condemning the White House over misuse of her song in a military strikes video
Katy Perry condemning the White House over misuse of her song in a military strikes video
Image generated by AI

Katy Perry condemns White House over 'Firework' in strikes video

Image generated by AI

Katy Perry has condemned the Trump administration after the White House used her song 'Firework' without permission in a TikTok video showing military strikes on Iran.

The White House TikTok account posted the nine-second video earlier this week. It featured unclassified footage of U.S. missiles striking port targets in Iran, set to the lyrics 'Boom, boom, boom / Even brighter than the moon' and captioned 'Iran has been warned.'

On July 25, Perry posted a statement on X. 'I am deeply appalled and angry to see “Firework” used on the White House TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes,' she wrote. 'I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.'

Perry added that she wrote the song as 'an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength.' She called the use 'a complete violation of everything my song stands for' and stated, 'My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.'

She joins other artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande and Kesha who have objected to the administration's use of their music in official posts.

What people are saying

Initial reactions on X focus on Katy Perry's statement condemning the unauthorized use of 'Firework' in a White House TikTok about Iran strikes, with users sharing quotes, questioning licensing, and prompting discussion on the video's timing and message.

Related Articles

The White House posted a promotional video featuring Boards of Canada music without permission. The Scottish duo’s label Warp has issued a statement denouncing the use.

Reported by AI

Singer Ben Folds addressed a Congressional forum on July 21, 2026, and condemned the changes at the Kennedy Center under President Donald Trump. He described the institution as a hyper-politicised environment and warned that politicising art leads to propaganda.

This website uses cookies

We use cookies for analytics to improve our site. Read our privacy policy for more information.
Decline