The official White House TikTok account has ignited a public dispute with pop music star Katy Perry after featuring her 2010 hit "Firework" as the soundtrack for unclassified footage of U.S. military strikes on Iran. The video, which appeared on the government's social media platform on Thursday, carried the caption "Iran has been warned" and concluded with a fireworks emoji.
"I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it." — Katy Perry, Artist
Katy Perry swiftly responded to the video's use of her song. By Saturday, the artist took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the clip, asserting that she had no involvement in its production or approval. In her statement, Perry expressed profound dismay, writing, "I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes." She further clarified, "I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it."
Perry proceeded to elaborate on the intrinsic meaning of "Firework," highlighting the significant disparity between her artistic intent and the video's application. She stated, "I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments." The artist conveyed that seeing her message transformed into a backdrop for combat imagery felt like a profound betrayal of the song's core purpose. "To see a message of self-worth and upliftment weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for," Perry asserted. She concluded her post by drawing a clear distinction between her artistic objectives and the White House's use of her music, stating, "My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare."
This incident marks another chapter in the often-contentious relationship between Hollywood entertainers and the administration of President Donald Trump. Perry has been an outspoken critic of President Trump for several years, actively supporting his political opponents, including Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris in their respective presidential campaigns. Her recent condemnation of the TikTok video is not her first foray into political commentary in 2026; in January, she encouraged her vast Instagram following to "turn anger into action" against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following an incident in Minneapolis. After that post, Perry largely refrained from political statements for several months, though she resurfaced in headlines in April concerning unrelated sexual assault allegations brought by actress Ruby Rose, which Australian police reportedly began investigating.
The White House's social media strategy has previously encountered similar objections from artists. Last month, Olivia Rodrigo, another prominent pop artist, publicly expressed her "enraged" reaction after her song "All-American Bitch" was used in a White House video related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This pattern suggests a recurring challenge for the administration's social media team in navigating the use of copyrighted music for official government content without prior artist consent.
As of Saturday, the White House TikTok video featuring "Firework" remained accessible and viewable on the platform. Neither the White House press office nor representatives for Katy Perry have issued any further statements or comments regarding the matter beyond Perry's original post on X. Perry's remarks quickly gained traction across social media, sparking widespread discussion among users regarding the ongoing dispute and the broader implications for intellectual property rights in official government communications. The episode underscores the persistent tension between the creative community and governmental bodies over the unauthorized deployment of artistic works for political or official messaging.
