Katy Perry slams White House for using 'Firework' in TikTok clip of Iran strikes: 'I absolutely do not condone it'

The video

The official White House TikTok account posted a video on Thursday that showed repeated military explosions synchronized with the chorus of Katy Perry's 2010 hit 'Firework.' The song's 'boom, boom, boom' was timed to clips of bomb detonations, and the caption read 'Iran has been warned.' The clip remained public on the platform as of Saturday.

Perry's response

On Saturday morning, the 41-year-old singer responded in a thread on X. She wrote that she was 'deeply appalled and angry' to see the song used as a backing track for footage of military strikes and stressed that she had neither approved nor been asked for permission.

“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. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.”

She described the track as an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength, written for people going through their darkest moments. Seeing its message 'weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence' was, she said, a complete betrayal of everything the song represents.

“My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment made by The Independent.

A recurring pattern

The friction over 'Firework' is the latest in a series of clashes. In December 2025, the White House used a Sabrina Carpenter song as the audio for a TikTok video that showed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting migrants. Carpenter told German media the clip was 'bösartig und widerwärtig' (malicious and disgusting). In June 2026, Ariana Grande objected after her 2024 single 'Bye' accompanied a similar enforcement video depicting agents handcuffing people. Olivia Rodrigo, Celine Dion, Neil Young, and the Rolling Stones have also previously demanded that the Trump administration stop playing their music at campaign rallies or in official social media posts. In every case, the artists said they had not given consent.

Military backdrop

The TikTok post arrived as the Trump administration was calibrating its Iran policy. President Donald Trump told reporters the US was 'locked and loaded' but 'not in a hurry,' claiming Tehran had become more serious about a possible agreement. However, US forces remained forward-deployed, and US Central Command had continued striking targets linked to Iranian missiles, maritime assets, and nuclear facilities. The caption 'Iran has been warned' matched a public posture that kept military pressure on while diplomatic channels stayed open.