Music · Washington
Katy Perry 'horrified and angry' after White House uses 'Firework' in Iran war TikTok clip
The White House posted a TikTok clip of an explosion set to Katy Perry's 'Firework' with the caption 'Iran has been warned.' Perry called the unauthorised use a 'complete betrayal' of the song's message of hope.
In brief
The White House TikTok account posted a clip of a military explosion with Katy Perry's 2010 song 'Firework' and the caption 'Iran has been warned' on July 25, 2026.
Perry wrote on X that she was horrified, was not asked for permission, and does not condone the use, calling it a 'complete betrayal' of the song's message of hope and healing.
In December 2025, the White House used a Sabrina Carpenter song in a video about migrant arrests, prompting Carpenter to call the clip 'vicious and disgusting.'
- December 2025White House uses Sabrina Carpenter song in migrant arrest video; Carpenter calls clip 'vicious and disgusting'.
- 25 JulWhite House TikTok uses Katy Perry's 'Firework' over Iran explosion footage; Perry calls it a 'complete betrayal'.
The TikTok clip
On July 25, 2026, the White House's official TikTok account shared a video showing footage of an explosion, set to Katy Perry's 2010 hit "Firework." The clip carried the caption: "Iran has been warned." The post came amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, though no further details of the military action were provided.
Perry's response
Perry reacted swiftly on X, writing that she was "horrified and angry" about the use of her song. She stated clearly that she had not consented.
“I did not agree to this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone this.”
The 41-year-old singer explained that "Firework" was written as an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people experiencing their darkest personal moments. She called the video "a complete betrayal of everything the song stands for." Her music, she added, is meant to bring people together, not to glorify war.
A repeating pattern
This is not the first time the Trump administration has drawn criticism from artists over the unapproved use of their music in official social media posts. In December 2025, the White House posted a video depicting the arrest of migrants with a Sabrina Carpenter song as the soundtrack. Carpenter described that clip as "vicious and disgusting."
Sources and context
- Katy Perry
- US singer whose song 'Firework' was used without permission in a White House TikTok clip
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Singer whose music was used in a White House migrant arrest video in December 2025
- Donald Trump
- President of the United States, under whose administration the White House TikTok clip was posted