White House deletes ICE video after Sabrina Carpenter backlash—but keeps the message
The White House vs Sabrina Carpenter is again taking the centre of the controversy after the pop singer objected to the use of her hit song “Juno” in a White House video.
The White House deleted a video from its X account on Friday, after Carpenter objected to its use of her song "Juno" to soundtrack an ICE arrest montage, but reposted a modified version on TikTok instead.
The controversy explained
The original clip had been published on Monday, December 1, and showed ICE officers detaining individuals as the lyrics "Have you ever tried this one?" played repeatedly under the caption "Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye 👋😍."
Carpenter, 26, responded under the post on Tuesday, December 2, calling it "evil and disgusting" and writing "Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda." Her comment earned more than a million likes. Although the video is no longer available on X, the White House’s TikTok account still featured a version as of Friday afternoon.
That upload replaced the audio with a clip of Marcello Hernandez and Carpenter from her Saturday Night Live appearance, intercut with further arrest footage and a voice-over of Carpenter joking about needing to arrest someone for being too "hot" with "illegal". It is captioned, "PSA: If you're a criminal illegal, you WILL be arrested & deported. ✨"
The administration’s original video drew on a viral TikTok trend in which users mimic suggestive positions each time the line "Have you ever tried this one?" is heard.
The trend was inspired by Carpenter’s on-stage routine during her Short n’ Sweet Tour, when she would playfully "arrest" fans while performing "Juno".
In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, Decemberember 2, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, "Here’s a Short n’ Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?"
Carpenter is one of several artists who have protested the Trump administration’s use of their music in promotional videos. Others include Céline Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Linkin Park, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.
The White House deleted a video from its X account on Friday, after Carpenter objected to its use of her song "Juno" to soundtrack an ICE arrest montage, but reposted a modified version on TikTok instead.
The controversy explained
The original clip had been published on Monday, December 1, and showed ICE officers detaining individuals as the lyrics "Have you ever tried this one?" played repeatedly under the caption "Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye 👋😍."
Carpenter, 26, responded under the post on Tuesday, December 2, calling it "evil and disgusting" and writing "Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda." Her comment earned more than a million likes. Although the video is no longer available on X, the White House’s TikTok account still featured a version as of Friday afternoon.
That upload replaced the audio with a clip of Marcello Hernandez and Carpenter from her Saturday Night Live appearance, intercut with further arrest footage and a voice-over of Carpenter joking about needing to arrest someone for being too "hot" with "illegal". It is captioned, "PSA: If you're a criminal illegal, you WILL be arrested & deported. ✨"
The administration’s original video drew on a viral TikTok trend in which users mimic suggestive positions each time the line "Have you ever tried this one?" is heard.
The trend was inspired by Carpenter’s on-stage routine during her Short n’ Sweet Tour, when she would playfully "arrest" fans while performing "Juno".
In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, Decemberember 2, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, "Here’s a Short n’ Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?"
Carpenter is one of several artists who have protested the Trump administration’s use of their music in promotional videos. Others include Céline Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Linkin Park, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo.
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