Taylor Swift’s music has been quietly removed from TikTok posts managed by the White House and the “Team Trump” campaign account. The change occurred without any public statement, criticism, or direct engagement from the singer, who is known for being highly protective of her brand and intellectual property. In one specific instance, a video featuring the president and first lady watching fireworks, which previously used Swift’s song “August,” was ” Other posts, including one that previously featured lyrics from Swift’s “Father Figure” over images of the president, now simply display a notification stating, “This sound isn’t available.”
It remains unclear if the removal was prompted by legal threats or private communication from Swift’s team. A spokesperson for the singer did not respond to requests for comment, and the White House has similarly declined to address the removals or potential legal concerns. Swift has historically been strategic regarding her political activism, often balancing her personal views with the need to maintain a broad fan base.
Other artists have adopted a more confrontational approach when their music has been used by the administration. Katy Perry expressed that she was “deeply appalled” when her song “Firework” was used in an eight-second video featuring military strikes, labeling the usage a “complete violation of everything my song stands for.” Noah Kahan similarly criticized the use of his track “American Cars” in an Instagram post showing the president at a General Motors facility in Michigan, writing in the comments that he would “never approve” of his music being used to support the administration. The song was subsequently removed.
Sabrina Carpenter described the use of her song “Juno” in a White House video depicting immigration enforcement as “evil and disgusting,” leading to the video’s deletion from X. Additionally, after the Department of Homeland Security used Olivia Rodrigo’s “All-American Bitch” in a video, the singer publicly slammed the usage as “racist, hateful propaganda.” While the audio was disabled on Instagram, it reportedly remains on X. These incidents follow a long history of disputes regarding the Trump team’s use of music without permission, involving artists such as Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, and ABBA.
The current administration’s social media strategy appears to prioritize high engagement, often using popular music to boost visibility. One caption even directly tagged the singer, stating, “I’m sure @Taylor Swift is going to be super excited we used her song! #taylorswift #maga #august.” This approach reflects a broader shift in the White House’s communication style during the president’s second term, which emphasizes a more informal, “trolling” tone with fewer layers of bureaucratic approval. A White House official noted that the goal is to “meet people where they are” and communicate in a language that feels familiar to social media users.
Other artists have faced similar, subtle removals of their content. Bad Bunny’s music was recently taken down from White House sizzle reels, and Jack White—who previously sued the Trump campaign over the use of “Seven Nation Army”—appears to have had the song removed from a recent hype video. The status of Gloria Estefan’s “Conga” in a military highlight reel also remains uncertain.
The relationship between Donald Trump and Taylor Swift has been notably complex. Trump has previously compared his TikTok popularity to the singer’s, claiming he held the No. 1 spot while she was at No. 11, despite her having double his following. While he has frequently claimed he is “not a fan,” he offered rare praise for Swift and her husband, Travis Kelce, during a Cabinet meeting following their engagement, calling her “a terrific person.” This contrasts sharply with his reaction to her 2024 endorsement of Kamala Harris, which prompted an all-caps post stating, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” Despite these tensions, historical footage suggests a long-standing familiarity with her work; an old Facebook post from Melania Trump shows the president driving with his son, Barron, while “Blank Space” played on the car speakers. The report also notes that that official said, “looks like stuff people are used to consuming — but it’s refreshing coming from the government.”, content on White House accounts. The report also notes that 11 (though he has roughly half her following). The report also notes that it’s unclear whether the threat of legal action loomed in the background or whether the pop star’s team communicated anger to the White House. The report also notes that mindful that weighing in on politics can upset her huge fan base, swift has often been calculating about her activism and endorsements. The report also notes that but it’s also allowed those accounts to be more nimble, that has prompted blowback. The report also notes that unable to shake it off over the years, trump has had a complicated relationship with Swift.
