A TikTok video has sparked a serious dispute. The official White House account posted a clip showing ICE agents making arrests and putting handcuffs on people - set to a version of Ariana Grande's (32) 2024 song "Bye". The singer was not pleased.
White House Counters With Sharp Statement
Grande commented directly on the post and demanded that the administration refrain from using her music in the future. According to media reports, she wrote to the effect that they should never use her music in connection with this "barbaric, inhumane, and disgusting nonsense". A spokesperson for Grande confirmed to the industry magazine "Variety" that Grande had indeed written the comment - however, it was not publicly visible on the post for unclear reasons. Grande's team also attempted to have the song removed from the video; shortly after her response, the audio was actually deleted from the clip.
The response from Washington was not long in coming. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson told "Variety": What is actually barbaric, inhumane, and disgusting are criminal illegal aliens who have harmed and killed innocent American citizens.
Not Grande's First Criticism of Trump
This is not the first time Grande has openly positioned herself against the Trump administration. In September 2025, she shared a post on her Instagram account by activist Matt Bernstein that spoke out against ICE raids, anti-trans policies, and other attacks on democratic values - explicitly addressed to Trump supporters.
Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai then took a jab with an allusion to Grande's song title "Save Your Tears": Ariana should save her tears, Trump's measures had ended the inflation crisis and were bringing trillions in new investments into the country. Moreover, the President had signed a directive that paved the way for the FTC to take action against Ticketmaster - for the benefit of Grande's own concertgoers.
While the conflict with the administration simmers, Grande is currently on her "Eternal Sunshine" tour. A concert at the Los Angeles Crypto.com Arena is scheduled for this Saturday.
