Katy Perry ‘appalled’ that White House used Firework song in Iran war video
Amy B Wang
washington: Pop star Katy Perry criticized the White House for using one of her songs. FireworkIn a TikTok video about US military strikes in Iran.
The short video shared by the White House on its official TikTok account on Thursday (Washington time) included images of bombs exploding in Iran, and the title was: “Iran warned.” The explosions in the video are timed like this: Firework When Perry sings “Boom, boom, boom.”
Perry said she was “deeply appalled and outraged” to see her 2010 hit song “weaponized” as the backing track for a video about destruction and violence in Iran.
“I did not approve of this, I was not asked, and I certainly do not condone it,” he wrote to X.
Perry added that he wrote Firework He said it is considered “an anthem of hope, healing and inner strength” and that the White House’s use of the song on TikTok was a “complete violation” of what it represents.
“My music is to bring people together, not to celebrate war,” Perry wrote.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Perry did not specify in his post whether he would take legal action to force the White House to remove the video.
Since February, US President Donald Trump and his administration have been mired in an unpopular war against Iran that they seem unable to end. At least 18 US soldiers have been killed, including four in recently renewed fighting after Trump declared the US-Iran ceasefire was “over” earlier this month.
Perry is not the first recording artist to request that her music not be used by Trump. In June, Ariana Grande criticized the White House for using her song. ByeAnother TikTok shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detaining people.
“Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, disgusting nonsense,” he wrote under the video, adding an expletive.
Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and rock band Semisonic also recently blasted the Trump administration for using their songs in official videos promoting ICE.
Washington Post
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