The White House quietly deleted its original video after Sabrina Carpenter called them out for using her song in a pro-ICE message without permission. But instead of apologising, they reposted an edited version, clipping her voice to make it sound like she was endorsing immigration arrests. The caption read: “If you’re an illegal criminal, you will be arrested and deported.”
And this wasn’t even the only artist they used.
SZA’s music was also pulled into government messaging without her involvement. Two major pop stars, both unknowingly turned into background audio for political propaganda.
It looked less like communication and more like bait.
A government account using viral artists for outrage clicks, hoping the internet would explode and push their agenda further. Ragebaiting is not new, but seeing it executed at this scale, from an institution with global influence, feels dark, inhuman and strangely desperate.
White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK ..inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring https://t.co/PIKoYEdn2y
— SZA (@sza) December 10, 2025
Sabrina was the first to speak up.
“Evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” she said. It was clear, direct and completely justified.
SZA fans immediately echoed the same concern.
Artists create music for storytelling, identity, performance and culture. Not to be stitched into political fear campaigns without consent.
The White House’s quick delete-and-reupload move made it worse. It showed awareness of wrongdoing but not enough accountability to address the issue. Instead of transparency, they doubled down with a sanitised version and hoped the internet would move on.
But people noticed.
And the consensus was simple: using charting women in pop and R&B as tools for immigration messaging is not clever. It is manipulative. It is tone-deaf. And it is embarrassingly boring for an institution with unlimited resources and communication teams.
Artists should not have to publicly distance themselves from the government because their songs are being recycled into political propaganda. Yet here we are.
The internet did not let this slide. And it shouldn’t.
