Zara Larsson Condemns White House for Using 'Midnight Sun' in ICE Deportation Reel

Key points

• The White House posted a TikTok video captioned 'never ending deportations,' which spliced footage of ICE agents handcuffing men and placing them into vehicles.
• The video used Zara Larsson's song 'Midnight Sun,' specifically riffing on the lyrics 'never-ending midnight sun.'
• Larsson responded with a three-minute video, describing the White House's usage as 'dehumanising' and showing an 'L' shape with her fingers in a selfie segment.
• The White House removed the song from the post but did not delete the video itself.
• Larsson's reaction video has accumulated over 4.2 million views on TikTok.
• The BBC contacted the White House for comment regarding the incident.

Background

This controversy occurs amid ongoing tensions within the Trump administration regarding immigration enforcement strategies. Recent internal debates, such as those involving DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, have highlighted conflicts between hardline deportation goals and practical workforce needs. The White House's use of pop music in political messaging follows a pattern of leveraging cultural icons for policy promotion, a tactic that has drawn criticism from multiple high-profile musicians in 2026.

How outlets are covering it

The BBC reports the incident as a direct conflict between a global pop star and the White House, emphasizing Larsson's strong public condemnation and the viral nature of her response. The secondary source, Yahoo, frames the event as a continuation of a broader trend where artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande have objected to the Trump administration's use of their music. While both sources agree on the facts of the video's posting and Larsson's reaction, the BBC focuses on the specific 'dehumanising' critique, whereas Yahoo contextualizes it within a wider pattern of artist pushback against political appropriation of their work.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the increasing friction between the Trump administration's use of social media for political messaging and the backlash from cultural figures. It underscores how pop music is being leveraged for political narratives, leading to public disputes that can influence public perception of both the artists and the administration's immigration policies.

What to watch

The White House has not yet responded to the BBC's request for comment. It remains to be seen if the administration will issue a formal apology or if other artists will join Larsson in public objections. The continued visibility of the video on the White House's TikTok feed may lead to further scrutiny of the administration's social media strategies.