Pop singer Katy Perry has publicly condemned the White House for using her 2010 hit song "Firework" in a TikTok video that depicted missile strikes. The official White House account posted the montage with the caption "Iran has been warned," but the accompanying soundtrack of Perry's anthem drew sharp criticism from the artist.
Perry took to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, and later reposted her statement on Instagram Stories, expressing deep dismay. "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. Perry stated that she did not approve the use of her song and "absolutely do not condone it."
She further explained that the song was intended as an anthem of hope and healing, and that its use to "soundtrack destruction and violence" is a violation of its original message. Perry emphasized that her music is meant to bring people together, not to celebrate warfare.
This incident occurs as Perry becomes one of several artists to publicly object to the government's use of their music for political promotion. The singer sold the catalog rights to her music published through 2020 in a 2023 deal reportedly valued at $225 million. However, her statement did not assert a right to block the White House's use of the song.
In a separate development, Perry was recently photographed with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a boat trip in the South of France. The couple, who debuted their relationship in July 2025 and went Instagram official in December 2025, appeared affectionate as Trudeau applied sunscreen to Perry. They made their red carpet debut in June 2026 at the Tribeca Festival premiere of her concert film "Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris." Perry described herself as feeling more grounded and "very in love" at the time. Perry has a five-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, with ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom. Trudeau separated from Sophie Grégoire Trudeau in 2023 and shares three children with her. The Daily Mail reported on the holiday sighting, noting that attempts to reach the White House and Perry for comment had not yet yielded a response at the time of publication.