Taylor Swift’s music is absent from several videos on President Donald Trump’s Team Trump TikTok page. A video posted on August 3 showed the president and first lady, Melania Trump, enjoying fireworks. It featured text saying, “Mood because it’s August and Donald Trump is your president,” while the caption claimed, “I’m sure @Taylor Swift is going to be super excited we used her song!” The video originally used Swift’s 2020 track “August” from the “Folklore” album, but the sound is now gone.
Comments celebrated the removal, with messages like “TAYLOR REMOVING THE AUDIO QUEEEEEEN,” and “Sorry, what was that? Can’t hear the song.” Several other videos using Swift’s songs on the Team Trump TikTok account now lack audio. This includes a November video with Swift’s “Life of a Showgirl” track “Father Figure” honoring the president. USA TODAY reached out to the White House and Swift’s representatives for feedback.
Audio Removed from Team Trump Videos
Another video from August 6 lost its audio. It jested that Swift wrote her album “Red” about Republicans. The video displayed art mimicking the “Red” album cover but featured Trump in a red MAGA hat, with the text “Red (Donald Trump’s version).” The video questioned, “Did you know Taylor Swift wrote a whole album about the color of the Republican Party?”
Swift endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris, a leading Democrat against Trump, before the 2024 election. Trump later expressed on TruthSocial, “I hate Taylor Swift,” and by May 2025 stated “she’s no longer HOT.” After Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce in August 2025, Trump commented, “I wish them a lot of luck. I think he’s a great player, a great guy. I think she’s a terrific person,” during a Cabinet meeting.
Pop Stars Criticize White House for Song Use
Various pop stars condemned the White House for using their songs without permission. A July 23 video showing U.S. military actions in Iran featured Katy Perry’s “Firework.” Perry stated she was “deeply appalled and angry,” emphasizing she was not consulted and “do not condone it” as her song promotes hope, not destruction or violence.
Ariana Grande commented under a June 9 video showing arrests using her 2024 song “Bye.” She requested, “Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.” The audio and Grande’s comment were later deleted.
Kesha, Olivia Rodrigo, Noah Kahan, and Sabrina Carpenter have also criticized the White House’s use of their songs without approval. After Kahan’s objection, the page posted a video stating, “And for that reason we will be posting Noah Kahan music.”