Ariana Grande Tells Team Trump to Stop Using Her Music
Ariana Grande has again pushed back against a US political account using her music without permission. According to NME, the Team Trump account — set up during the 2024 presidential election — soundtracked a TikTok video with her 2024 Eternal Sunshine track "We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)." Grande responded directly in the comments, telling the account to stop. Screenshots of the exchange spread widely across social platforms on August 20, 2026.
What happened
The video showed Donald Trump walking to a podium, overlaid with text claiming men cannot give birth and should not compete in women's sports. The caption read "this shouldn't be controversial," tagged with #trump, #arianagrande and #maga.
Grande commented: "Never use my music again," adding that what the account called truth was false.
This is not the first time. In June, her song "Bye" was used in a video of ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detaining people. She criticized the White House at the time, calling the footage "barbaric, inhumane," and asked that her music not be associated with it. During the 2024 election, Grande publicly backed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
Other artists who have objected
NME notes several artists and rights holders have recently objected to unauthorized use of their music by the White House or related accounts:
- Taylor Swift: "August" was removed after being used in a TikTok post
- Kesha: "Blow" was used in a military video
- Boards of Canada and Warp Records: "Deep Time" was used in videos of a border patrol boat and a detention center
- Sabrina Carpenter: "Juno" was used in an ICE video, which she called "evil and disgusting"
- Olivia Rodrigo: accused the government of using her music to promote "racist, hateful propaganda"
- Others who have objected include The Rolling Stones, Adele, Neil Young, Jack White, ABBA, Céline Dion, Foo Fighters, the estate of Isaac Hayes, and Eddy Grant
Eternal Sunshine Tour and Planned Break
Grande is currently on her Eternal Sunshine tour, playing 10 shows at The O2 Arena in London. NME gave the opening night a five-star review.
Her management confirmed earlier this month that she plans to step back from public life after the tour ends. She has also withdrawn from a planned revival of the musical Sunday In The Park With George, set to run at London's Barbican Centre next summer, which would have reunited her with Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey and marked her West End stage debut.