Katy Perry 'deeply appalled' over White House using her song in Iran war video

Pop superstar Katy Perry has strongly condemned the Trump White House for using her hit song 'Firework' in a TikTok video that showcased US military strikes against Iranian targets.

Perry expressed her dismay, stating she never authorized the use of her music for such a purpose. The White House TikTok video, which played 'Firework' over footage of a missile hitting an Iranian naval ship, has accumulated over 6 million views. The accompanying caption read: “Iran has been warned.”

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I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the White House TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes.

In a statement released on X, Perry declared, “I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the White House TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes.” She emphasized, “I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.”

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I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.

Perry further explained the core message of her song: “I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments. 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.”

This incident follows a pattern of artists criticizing the Trump administration for the unauthorized use of their music in government social media posts. Previous artists, including Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, Kesha, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande, and Jess Glynne, have also spoken out against the White House for using their songs in videos promoting deportation efforts, campaign messages, or military actions. The White House launched its TikTok account in August 2025.

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I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments. 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.