Ariana Grande has publicly condemned the White House for featuring her track "Bye" in a TikTok video showcasing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.
The three-time Grammy winner responded directly to the post on Thursday, writing: "Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. F*** ICE."
Her comment had vanished from public view beneath the video this morning. Representatives for the singer confirmed to Variety she had written the response, although they could not explain why it was no longer visible.
A source with knowledge of the situation told Reuters Ms Grande's team was actively working to have her music stripped from the clip.
The TikTok clip, shared earlier this week, showed immigration officers placing individuals in handcuffs, escorting them into vehicles and transporting them to detention centres.
It was accompanied by the caption: "Bye-bye. President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history."
Ms Grande's 2024 track served as the soundtrack to the footage of arrests and detentions.
Following the singer's objection and her team's efforts to have the song removed, the audio has since been stripped from the video.
The clip remains accessible on the platform but now displays the message: "This sound isn't available."
The controversy emerged just days after President Donald Trump signed the Secure America Act, legislation providing more than $70billion in additional funding for immigration enforcement agencies.
White House spokesman Abigail Jackson hit back at the singer's criticism, defending the administration's immigration policies.
"We'll say this one last time: what's actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens," Jackson stated.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Carol Kirkwood issues ‘surprising’ health update following ‘busy’ retirement
- Jesy Nelson discloses reasons for split from ex Zion Foster amid daughters' heartbreaking diagnosis
- Molly-Mae Hague gives insight into 'incredible' birth of son as she shares unseen hospital snaps
The response appeared to be a deliberate reference to Grande's 2014 hit "One Last Time" from her album My Everything.
This is not the first time White House officials have used the singer's catalogue in their communications.
Last year, deputy press secretary Kush Desai responded to an Instagram post from Grande criticising the treatment of migrants by weaving several of her song titles into a statement, including "Save Your Tears", "Just Like Magic" and "Get Well Soon".
Grande is far from the only musician to object to her work being deployed in the administration's immigration messaging.
In November 2025, Olivia Rodrigo criticised officials for using her track "All-American Bitch" in a video encouraging undocumented migrants to "self-deport", writing: "Don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda."
The following month, Sabrina Carpenter branded the use of her song "Juno" in an ICE arrest video as "evil and disgusting", adding: "Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda."
SZA also attacked the administration for featuring her track "Big Boys" in a deportation-related post, describing the tactic as "inhumanity + shock and aw[e] tactics".
Ms Grande is currently performing her 41-date Eternal Sunshine tour, which includes multiple dates at London's O2 Arena.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
