Katy Perry condemns White House for using 'Firework' in Iran strikes video
The singer said she was 'deeply appalled' that her 2010 hit was used without permission as a soundtrack for military footage.
Katy Perry has publicly condemned the White House for using her 2010 hit "Firework" as the soundtrack to a TikTok video depicting US military strikes on Iran, saying she neither approved nor condoned the use. In a post on X on Saturday, the singer wrote that she was "deeply appalled and angry" to see the song used as a backing track for footage of military strikes. "I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it," she said. The video, posted on the official White House TikTok account on Thursday, showed bomb explosions timed to the lyric "boom, boom, boom" and carried the caption "Iran has been warned". The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Perry said the song was written as "an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments". She described the use of the track to accompany destruction and violence as "a complete violation of everything my song stands for". "My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare," she added. The singer did not indicate whether she would pursue legal action to have the video removed.
The dispute comes amid a wider pattern of tension between the Trump administration and musicians over the unauthorised use of popular songs in official social media content. In June, Ariana Grande criticised the White House for using her song "Bye" in a TikTok video showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detaining people, calling the post "barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense". Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Kesha and SZA have also objected to the use of their music in videos promoting immigration enforcement or military operations.
The video was posted against the backdrop of an ongoing US military campaign in Iran. According to reports, the Trump administration has been engaged in an unpopular war with Iran since February, with at least 18 US service members killed. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump declared that a US-Iran ceasefire was "over", and the White House caption on the TikTok post stated that "Iran has been warned". The use of Perry's song has drawn particular attention because of the contrast between the uplifting message of the track and the imagery of military strikes.
| Atlantic / Anglosphere press | −0.60 | critical |
|---|---|---|
| Iranian & allied press | −0.90 | critical |
| Indian & South Asian press | 0.00 | neutral |
The White House used 'Firework' as the soundtrack for a video celebrating military strikes, betraying the song's pacifist message. Katy Perry condemns the administration for co-opting her art to glorify warfare.
The US regime, responsible for mass killings, faces the consequences. Iran warns that every martyr will be avenged and that the Pentagon tries to hide losses, but the truth comes out.
Iran claims to have attacked an Amazon data centre in Bahrain, expanding the conflict into cyberspace. The unverified claim signals Tehran's willingness to target US commercial interests.
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