Songs by American pop star Taylor Swift have been removed from some videos shared by US President Donald Trump’s election campaign and the White House, although the reason for the move remains unclear.
According to Reuters, neither the White House nor representatives of Taylor Swift immediately offered an official explanation for the removal. It is also unknown whether Swift or her team objected to the use of her music in the videos.
Swift and Trump have been on opposite sides of US politics for several years. During the 2024 presidential election, she endorsed Trump’s Democratic rival Kamala Harris.
She had also criticised Trump’s policies during the 2020 election campaign. Trump subsequently made several critical comments about the singer on social media.
The controversy over the use of artists’ music is not limited to Swift. Other prominent musicians, including Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, have also raised concerns about their songs being used by the Trump administration.
Read more: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce set up giant castle for wedding celebrations
In recent days, a video posted on Trump’s campaign TikTok account included references to two Swift songs, with their titles and lyrics altered to fit a political context and mock Trump’s opponents.
Earlier in June, another campaign video used one of Swift’s newer songs while showing Trump interacting with children at the White House, attending a UFC event and speaking at a political rally.
A White House social media video released in April also featured Swift’s “High Infidelity” during footage of Artemis II astronauts meeting Trump. Another White House TikTok video posted last November used “The Fate of Ophelia.”
The Trump administration has increasingly used popular music in social media posts about political and government activities, including immigration, military operations and international affairs.
The removal of Swift’s songs has renewed debate over the use of artists’ music in political content, but without an official explanation, the reason behind the removals remains uncertain.
Also read: Taylor Swift marries Travis Kelce: Wedding stuns the world