The White House has issued a pun-filled response to Sabrina Carpenter after the pop star criticised the Trump administration for using one of her songs in a video promoting its deportation efforts.
The clip posted across the official White House social media accounts shows a montage of different people getting chased, held to the ground and arrested by ICE agents, soundtracked to Carpenter’s sex positions riff from her hit song “Juno”.
Carpenter said in an X/Twitter post Tuesday that the video is “evil and disgusting”. She added: “Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
A spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent: “Here’s a Short’n’Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologise 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?”
In the video, the arrests are depicted over the repeated lyrics: “Have you ever tried this one?”
The caption reads: “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye,” with a kissy face emoji.
While performing the song “Juno” on her recently wrapped Short’n’Sweet tour, Carpenter would “arrest” a fan or celebrity in the crowd for “being too hot” in a skit that involved pink prop handcuffs.
On the lyrics, “Wanna try some freaky positions… Have you ever tried this one?”, Carpenter would hold a pose resembling a different sex position on each night of the tour.
TikTok users have criticised the White House for making light of ICE arrests and for using the song without Carpenter’s permission.
“Why are we creating Sabrina Carpenter edits to people’s lives being destroyed?” one person wrote in the comments, as another said: “This is just embarrassing to watch.”
Another person added: “Hey, just so you know, Sabrina made ‘Juno’ for people creating families, not ripping them apart.”
“White House TikTok: the grandmaster of rage bait,” chimed one viewer. “Sabrina Carpenter absolutely doesn’t support this, by the way,” said another.
It comes one month after US pop singer Olivia Rodrigo lambasted the Trump administration after the Department of Homeland Security posted an Instagram video soundtracked by her “All-American B****” to promote its deportation efforts.
In the comments, Rodrigo wrote: “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” The comment was later taken down.
The video featured a montage of what appeared to be undocumented people voluntarily boarding DHS flights and giving a thumbs-up as they departed.
“LEAVE NOW and self-deport using the CPB Home app,” read the caption. “If you don’t, you will face consequences.”
After Rodrigo’s response went viral, Instagram removed the soundtrack from the clip. An error message reading “This song is currently unavailable” is currently displayed.
A DHS spokesperson said in a statement afterwards: “America is grateful all the time for our federal law enforcement officers who keep us safe. We suggest Ms Rodrigo thank them for their service, not belittle their sacrifice.”
Carpenter and Rodrigo have joined a growing list of artists who have objected to Trump or his administration for using their music without consent, including Jack White, Beyoncé and the Rolling Stones.
