Pop star Katy Perry has publicly voiced her strong disapproval of the White House's use of her 2010 hit song "Firework" in a social media video depicting military action. The official White House TikTok account posted a montage of missile strikes carried out by the U.S. government with the caption, "Iran has been warned." The accompanying soundtrack featured Perry's anthem, which she stated was intended to promote hope and healing.
Perry took to X, formerly Twitter, and later shared her statement on Instagram Stories, expressing her 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. "I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it."
She further elaborated on the song's intended message, stating, "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."
Perry's statement did not claim any legal right to prevent the White House's use of her music. Her reaction follows similar instances where other artists have criticized the administration for using their songs for political promotion. In March, Kesha expressed anger after her song "Blow" was used in a White House TikTok video featuring a missile strike on a military ship. "It's come to my attention that The White House has used one of my songs on TikTok to incite violence and threaten war," Kesha posted at the time. "Trying to make light of war is disgusting and inhumane. I absolutely do NOT approve of my music being used to promote violence of any kind. Love always trumps hate. please love yourself and each other in times like this."
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 shared a message directed at the official White House X account, stating, "This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda."
Perry's criticism comes as she is reportedly dating former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The couple sparked dating rumors approximately one year ago and made their relationship Instagram official in December 2025. They made their red carpet debut in June 2026 for the premiere of her concert film, "Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris."