White House TikTok account
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Lauren Law
“The Polar Express” is a magical, upbeat holiday song that captures the wonder, warmth and excitement of
Christmas. However, instead of celebrating the festive cheer, the song was used in a TikTok video posted by
@whitehouse—the official White House TikTok account—about ICE’s crackdown on deportation.
The account first went live on Aug. 5, 2025. Its early posts included montage-style videos of Trump at rallies and official events, applying a soundbite where he states “I am your voice” over clips designed to energize supporters. Other videos feature shots of the White House, patriotic imagery and themed edits promoting Trump’s policies along with occasional behind‑the‑scenes content made by staff. Fox News states that the account is overseen by the White House communications agency rather than by Trump personally.
“When I first found out that the White House had Tiktok, I thought that it was good that the government was trying to connect with the current generation and their trends. However I found the videos to be concerning and awkward. I would not expect the federal government to make these videos because they are inappropriate and should not be the focus of the administration,” Sophomore Sophie Law said.
The White House is facing growing backlash for using popular songs in pro-ICE videos on its official social
channels. The account has been using songs popular on TikTok to soundtrack its videos—from Sabrina Carpenter’s “Juno” to Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)”—often clipped around ironic lyrics. The contrast between the tone of the songs behind the TikToks and the content of the videos themselves can be seen as Carpenter’s playful “Juno” is laid over deportation footage. Among many other artists, Sabrina Carpenter criticized the White House’s use of her work. Olivia Rodrigo also spoke out, condemning the use of her song “All-American Bitch,” stating that she does not want her music used to promote racist or hateful propaganda. Carpenter’s response to the White House, posted on TikTok, overtook the White House’s original post in both likes and views and inspired further content critical of the administration.
“The White House’s usage of TikTok has been immature, especially when paired with footage of deportations. I support artists speaking out against their music being used in immigration or ICE-related content because it is a way of holding the government accountable,” Senior Swathi Thayaparan said.
A song used without proper licensing is generally considered copyright infringement unless covered by fair use. Unfair usage of media to promote policies that artists may have negative consequences—in this case, public backlash against the Trump administration and the public condemnations of the artists against the usage of their media. In a notable case, musician Eddy Grant successfully sued Trump for using his song “Electric Avenue” in a political video without permission. A federal court ruled in September 2024 that the use constituted copyright infringement, calling it a “wholesale copying” of the song.
A paper written by Dr. Maud Reveilhac of Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology reported that pairing viral tracks with government messaging taps into the preexisting relationship between the audience and the song. This makes political content feel familiar, entertaining and easily shareable, especially for younger generations.
The future political use of memes and music will be shaped by clearer enforcement of copyright law, stricter
platform policies and evolving licensing rules for short-form video and government communication. The extent to which artists and record labels challenge unauthorized uses or instead choose to formalize them through licensing, can directly shape what government and official accounts are allowed to post.
About the Contributor
Lauren Law
staff writer
Lauren Law is a senior at Leland High School and this is her second year as a staff writer. She enjoys hanging out with friends, sleeping, and eating.
Juliana Shin
artist
Juliana Shin is a sophomore at Leland High School and an Artist for The Charger Account. In her free time, she admits to doom scrolling on Pinterest for drawing references or playing with dog, Simba. During other times, she prefers to sleep in and watch horror movies with her mom.
