Katy Perry says she’s “deeply appalled and angry” over the Trump Administration’s TikTok use of her song “Firework” that accompanied video footage of U.S. military strikes in Iran.
In a social media post today, Perry writes, “I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.
“I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments,” she continues. “To see a message of self-worth and upliftment weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for. My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”
The White House TikTok account posted the video Thursday, with the military strikes set to the “Firework” lyrics “boom boom boom.” The TikTok post carries the caption “Iran has been warned.”
See the video and Perry’s response below.
The video arrived as President Donald Trump has been threatening to continue and even increase its bombing campaign in Iran. At a press briefing Friday, a reporter asked Trump, “You’re talking about blowing up civilian power plants and bridges. Much of the civilized world would consider that a war crime. Do you?”
Trump answered by saying, “I won’t respond to that question,” and then asked where the reporter works. Told The New York Times, Trump said, ‘Figures. Failing New York Times,” repeating a much-debunked claim about the news organization’s fiscal health.
Perry, a former American Idol judge, is just the latest musician to take issue with the Trump Administration’s use of their songs. Last month, Ariana Grande slammed the White House for using her 2024 song “Bye” in a video promoting the Trump-signed Secure America Act, which would fund ICE and Border Patrol.
“Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” wrote Grande in the comment section of the White House post.
