Keshais criticizingPresident Donald Trump'sadministration after the White House used one of her songs without permission on TikTok.
"It's come to my attention that The White House has used one of my songs on TikTok to incite violence and threaten war. Trying to make light of war is disgusting and inhumane. I absolutely do NOT approve of my music being used to promote violence of any kind," Keshawrote on social mediaon March 2.
"Love always trumps hate. please love yourself and each other in times like this," she continued. "This show of blatant disregard for human life and quite frankly this attack on all of our nervous systems is the opposite of what I stand for."
The singer also referenced mentions ofTrump in the Department of Justice's files on Jeffrey Epstein, writing, "Also, don't let this distract us from the fact that criminal predatorDonald Trumpappears in the Files over a million times."
On Feb. 10, the White House's TikTok account posted avideocompilation of military fighter jets to Kesha's 2010 song, "Blow" with the caption, "Lethality."
Trump's second term saw aggressive immigration and trade moves, federal downsizing, and assertive foreign interventions in Venezuela
and Iran. President Donald Trump has doubled down on an aggressive
immigration agenda, emphasizing record-low levels of illegal border crossings and a sweeping expansion of enforcement. In his February 2026 State of the Union address, Trump highlighted a nine‑month period in which, he claimed, "zero illegal aliens" were admitted into the U.S.—a statement that fact-checkers noted conflated admission with release on parole, though data does show no parole releases during that period." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
The administration has also promoted major enforcement gains: significant declines in
illegal crossings, a dramatic reduction in interior releases, expanded deportation operations, and tightened border controls, according to a February 2026 White House summary of its immigration actions. More broadly, the administration continues implementing executive actions that restrict entry at the southern border and increase immigration enforcement nationwide, including policies tied to TrumpÕs 2025 proclamation invoking federal authority to suspend certain entries. [whitehouse.gov]" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
President Donald Trump has intensified his
tariff‑driven economic strategy in his second term, expanding duties across global partners while positioning tariffs as a central tool to bolster U.S. industry. Despite broad tariff hikes, the U.S. trade deficit surged in late 2025, reaching a record goods shortfall even as the administration sought to curb imports and revive domestic manufacturing—a goal undercut by a decline in factory employment during the same period." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
President Donald Trump has undertaken an unprecedented downsizing and
restructuring of the federal government during his second term, marked by aggressive workforce reductions, major agency overhauls, and expanded executive authority over civil service rules." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Federal workforce cuts accelerated sharply in 2025, with estimates showing reductions ranging from 220,000 to more than 300,000 employees through voluntary departure incentives, pressure campaigns, buyouts, and targeted firingsÑresulting in the smallest federal workforce share recorded since the 1930s." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
The
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created at the start of President Trump's second term to drive sweeping federal workforce reductions. DOGE spearheaded mass buyouts, layoffs, and restructuring across agencies, including the rollout of the Deferred Resignation Program and guidance encouraging the firing of probationary employees. Its initiatives contributed to a net loss of more than 150,000 federal workers early in Trump's second term, with broader governmentwide workforce reductions continuing into 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Elon Musk was appointed to lead DOGE and initially served as the public face of
Trump's government‑shrinkage agenda. However, his influence declined significantly after he stepped away from the department and entered a public feud with President Trump. Many DOGE staffers left government during this period, and DOGE became associated with controversial actions including the dismantling of USAID and alleged improper access to agency data. Musk originally claimed DOGE would identify $2 trillion in government savings, but the department's website later estimated only $215 billion, a figure analysts say was overstated." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
President Donald Trump's
"One Big Beautiful Bill", signed July 4, 2025, reshaped federal tax law by extending lower individual tax rates from the 2017 TCJA, increasing standard deductions, and adding new temporary deductions for tips and overtime." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
The law also phases out clean‑energy incentives and cuts programs like
Medicaid and SNAP, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting a $4.1 trillion increase in deficits over 10 years due to the package." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
President Trump has aligned many social policies with the goals of Project 2025, targeting reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ protections,
DEI programs, and gender‑affirming care. His administration has signed executive orders eliminating transgender protections, removing DEI offices across federal agencies, and directing schools to deny funding if they allow transgender girls to compete in girls' sports. He has also pursued efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and restrict reproductive‑health access—though not all proposed measures have succeeded." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Trump has moved aggressively to remake federal cultural institutions, ordering the removal of what he calls "
anti‑American ideology" from museums, national parks, and research centers. Actions include restoring Confederate statues, removing slavery‑related exhibits and Native‑American history signage from national parks, and pressuring institutions like the Smithsonian and Kennedy Center while installing political allies onto boards. Civil‑rights groups warn these moves risk erasing critical historical truths and reversing decades of social progress" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
During his second term, President Donald Trump has systematically
dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government. Executive orders have eliminated DEI offices and policies, with agencies placing all DEI‑related staff on administrative leave and shutting down DEI programs entirely. His administration also removed DEI departments at major cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art in early 2025. Trump has framed DEI initiatives as "anti‑American ideology," directing agencies and cultural institutions to strip references to DEI, sexual orientation and gender identity from rules, grants, and regulations. These moves reflect a broader cultural agenda aimed at reversing equity‑focused policies across education, federal agencies, and the arts sector." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
On January 3, 2026, President Donald Trump ordered a large‑scale U.S. military operation in
Venezuela—Operation Absolute Resolve—resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. U.S. forces conducted coordinated strikes across northern Venezuela to suppress air defenses before extracting the pair, who were flown to New York to face narco‑terrorism–related charges. The Trump administration framed the action as a law‑enforcement mission with military support, asserting inherent presidential authority, while Venezuela and several regional governments condemned it as a violation of sovereignty." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
In late February and early March 2026, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had begun "
major combat operations in Iran," launching strikes alongside Israel targeting Iranian leadership, military infrastructure, and missile capabilities. The joint assault targeted high‑level officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, and was framed by Trump as necessary to eliminate "imminent threats" and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Trump second term marked by turbulent moves. See photos
Trump's second term saw aggressive immigration and trade moves, federal downsizing, and assertive foreign interventions in Venezuelaand Iran. President Donald Trump has doubled down on an aggressiveimmigrationagenda, emphasizing record-low levels of illegal border crossings and a sweeping expansion of enforcement. In his February 2026 State of the Union address, Trump highlighted a nine‑month period in which, he claimed, "zero illegal aliens" were admitted into the U.S.—a statement that fact-checkers noted conflated admission with release on parole, though data does show no parole releases during that period.
More news:Justin Timberlake sues to keep video of DWI arrest private
White House responds to Kesha after criticism over use of her song
In response to Kesha's post, White House Communications Director Steven Cheungwrote on X,"All these 'singers' keep falling for this. This just gives us more attention and more view counts to our videos because people want to see what they're bitching about. Thank you for your attention to this matter."
Kaelan Dorr, another member of the White House's communications team, alsowrote on X: "Kesha quotes are like Popeye's Spinach to this team Memes? They'll continue. Winning? Will also continue."
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When contacted by USA TODAY for comment, the White House referred to Cheung and Dorr's posts.
After the pair of responses from the White House, Kesha madeanother post on X, writing, "Stop using my music, perverts @WhiteHouse."
Kesha is the latest to disapprove of Trump administration's music use
Kesha joins a growing list of singers who have condemned the Trump administration for using their music on social media.
In December 2025, theWhite House deleted a videofeaturingSabrina Carpenter'ssong "Juno" after shecalled the post "evil and disgusting."
"Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda," Carpenter wrote on X on Dec. 2. The White House's post showed individuals being detained byImmigration and Customs Enforcementwhile the pop star's song played.
Similarly, in November 2025, after theDepartment of Homeland Security used Olivia Rodrigo's song"all-american bitch" on a post promoting deportations, the singer commented, "Don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda."
Others who have spoken out against the Trump administration for using their music includeSemisonic,Isaac Hayes,Jess Glynneand evenPokémon.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Kesha slams White House for using her song on TikTok
Keshais criticizingPresident Donald Trump'sadministration after the White House used one of her songs without permis...
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