Sabrina Carpenter condemn White House’s use of music and imagery
Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter and the publisher of the beloved children’s character Franklin the Turtle have publicly condemned the Trump administration for using their work to support its agenda.
Carpenter expressed outrage over the use of her 2024 song Juno, from her album Short n’ Sweet, in a White House video montage depicting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
On social media, she called the use “evil and disgusting,” adding, “Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.” The White House captioned the clip with Carpenter’s lyrics, “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded sharply, stating: “Here’s a Short ‘n Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: we won’t apologise for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country. Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?”
Meanwhile, Kids Can Press, the publisher of Franklin the Turtle, condemned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s post on X featuring a manipulated image of Franklin aiming a bazooka at boats, captioned “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.” In a statement, the publisher said, “Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”
Hegseth’s post comes amid ongoing scrutiny over allegations that he ordered a second deadly strike on two survivors of a previous attack on a drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea in September, prompting calls for an investigation into potential war crimes.
Carpenter’s protest is part of a wider backlash from artists over the administration’s use of music. American singer and guitarist Kenny Loggins recently demanded the removal of a video that used his hit Danger Zone from Top Gun, which included AI-generated images of Trump as a fighter pilot targeting political opponents. Similarly, Celine Dion condemned the use of My Heart Will Go On, and Beyoncé protested the use of Freedom in campaign materials in 2024.
However, not all musicians oppose the administration. Victor Willis, the only original member of the Village People, has supported Trump’s use of the band’s 1970s disco hit YMCA at campaign rallies, contrasting with other band members who had previously objected to its use given its historical association with the gay liberation movement.
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