Pop singer Katy Perry has publicly expressed her anger and disappointment over the White House's use of her song "Firework" in a social media video featuring missile attacks. The official White House TikTok account posted a montage of U.S. government missile strikes with the caption "Iran has been warned," set to Perry's 2010 hit.
Perry took to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to issue a statement, later reposting it on Instagram Stories. "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," she wrote. "I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it."
She emphasized that the song was written as an anthem of hope and healing, stating, "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."
Perry joins a list of artists who have spoken out against the Trump administration's use of their music in political contexts. In March, Kesha criticized the White House for using her song "Blow" in a TikTok video depicting a military ship being struck by a missile, captioned "Lethality." Kesha called the use "disgusting and inhumane" and stated she did not approve of her music promoting violence.
Last December, Sabrina Carpenter also condemned the White House for using her song "Juno" in a TikTok post that celebrated arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Carpenter described the video as "evil and disgusting" and urged the White House not to involve her music in its agenda.
Perry's criticism comes as she is reportedly dating former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The couple's relationship reportedly began a year ago, and they made their public debut in June 2026.