SZA slams White House for using her music without consent in pro-ICE video

American singer SZA has publicly criticised the White House for using her music without her consent in a pro-ICE video shared on the official account X.

In a recent clip, she featured a song she performed on Saturday Night Live, sparking backlash from the singer and her team.

The reaction began when SZA’s manager, Punch, posted a statement denouncing the move, calling it an attempt to provoke artists into responding and spread political agendas. SZA shared the statement and added her own criticism, writing: “White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK… inhumanity + shock and awe tactics… Evil n Boring”.

This incident follows similar controversies involving other young pop artists. Recently, Sabrina Carpenter condemned the White House after her song “Juno” was used in a pro-ICE video showing arrests and migrant detentions. Carpenter called the edit “evil and disgusting” and demanded her music not be used to support inhumane policies.

Weeks ago, Olivia Rodrigo criticised the Department of Homeland Security for using her song “all-american b*tch” in a video promoting “voluntary self-deportation” flights. The clip was widely condemned for mocking migrant communities and using a female empowerment anthem for political messaging.

These incidents have highlighted questions about the unauthorised use of popular music in government communications. Artists and advocates argue that such uses exploit creative content for political purposes, often without consent, and may misrepresent the message of the original work.

The White House has not publicly responded to SZA’s comments, while the singer continues to use social media to highlight what she describes as manipulative and inhumane tactics in political messaging.

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