Ariana Grande tells Trump team: Stop using my music

Pop star Ariana Grande has again objected to the use of her music in content posted by US President Donald Trump’s team, accusing the administration of using her song without permission.

The latest dispute began after the Team Trump TikTok account shared a video showing Trump walking toward a podium. The video featured Grande’s 2024 song We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love) in the background.

The post also carried a political message about gender and women’s sports. Its caption said the message should not be considered controversial.

Grande responded directly in the comments. She told the account not to use her music again and rejected the political message featured in the video, saying that the administration’s version of “truth” was false.

According to reports, Grande’s record label is now working to have the song removed from the social media post.

The incident is the second public confrontation between Grande and the Trump administration over the use of her music in about two months.

In June, Grande criticised the White House after her song Bye was used in a video showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests. She strongly objected to the song being associated with the immigration enforcement footage.

The post was later removed from the White House’s TikTok account. A White House spokesperson, however, defended the administration’s immigration policies and enforcement efforts.

Grande has remained outspoken about several policies associated with the Trump administration, particularly its immigration and LGBTQ+ positions. She has also used public appearances to express her opposition to the administration’s approach.

The singer is not the only major artist to object to the use of their music by Trump’s political operation. Other prominent musicians, including Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Rihanna and Sabrina Carpenter, have also raised objections to their songs being featured in political content.