Katy Perry condemns White House for using Firework in military video

Pop star Katy Perry has publicly condemned the White House after her hit single "Firework" was featured in an unauthorized social media video displaying military strikes. According to Billboard, the official White House TikTok account published the controversial clip on Thursday, July 23, 2026. The video synchronized the singer's lyrics with black-and-white footage of explosions and bombs, accompanied by the caption "Iran has been warned."

Responding to the post on Saturday, July 25, 2026, Perry voiced fierce opposition on social media. She stated that she never approved the use of her track and received no request from government officials, according to Aol.

Media additions

"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, Pop Star, via Billboard

According to Billboard, the track was originally composed as an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for individuals experiencing difficult personal moments. Perry argued that weaponizing a message of self-worth to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of the song's intent, adding that her music exists to bring people together rather than celebrate warfare.

Released from the album Teenage Dream, "Firework" became one of the singer's standout hits, spending four nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as reported by Billboard. UK News Yahoo noted that the album received Grammy nominations.

The administration did not immediately take down the post following the backlash, nor has it issued a formal response to the singer's condemnation, according to AOL. Fans responding to Perry's statement suggested multiple avenues of recourse, including filing Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notices through legal representation or record labels to force platform compliance and mitigate corporate liability.

This incident follows a growing pattern of friction between major recording artists and the Trump administration over the unauthorized appropriation of copyrighted work for government propaganda and political messaging. Yahoo News noted that a string of prominent performers have similarly lashed out at official social media coordinators over the past year.

• Ariana Grande: Criticized the administration after her track "Bye" was utilized in a TikTok promoting immigration enforcement. A White House spokesperson defended the usage by calling criminal illegal aliens barbaric and inhumane, according to CNN reporting cited by Yahoo.
• Olivia Rodrigo: Expressed outrage after her music soundtracked sweeping raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling the propaganda racist and hateful.
• SZA: Condemned the administration's use of her viral track "Big Boys," accusing officials of rage-baiting artists for free promotion—an allegation that White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson countered by thanking the artist for drawing attention to agency work, as reported by PEOPLE and cited by Yahoo.
• Kesha, Sabrina Carpenter, Celine Dion, and Kenny Loggins: Also joined the roster of artists objecting to government and campaign videos utilizing their catalogues without clearance, with Kesha previously criticizing the use of her song "Blow" in a TikTok featuring fighter jets and military strike footage captioned "Lethality."

What to watch next

Observers will monitor whether TikTok removes the contested video following high-profile celebrity complaints, and whether legal teams initiate formal copyright infringement proceedings against the administration.