Washington: Songs by Taylor Swift have been removed from social media videos posted by Donald Trump’s campaign and the White House after the pop star’s music was used in several posts in recent months.
The removals were reported on August 9, with no immediate explanation from either the White House or Swift’s representatives. The Trump campaign had used two of Swift’s songs on its TikTok account during the previous week.
One of the videos used references to several of Swift’s well-known songs while promoting Trump and criticising the previous Biden-Harris administration. The post included altered titles and captions linked to Trump’s political messaging, including references to immigration and US politics.
Another Trump campaign video posted in June used Swift’s song ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack. The video showed Trump interacting with children at the White House, attending a UFC event and appearing at a political rally.
The latest removals come despite Swift having previously taken a political position against Trump. In 2024, Swift endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent in the presidential election.
Swift had also criticised Trump during the 2020 election campaign. Trump has repeatedly attacked the singer on social media, including after the 2024 endorsement. The Trump administration and campaign have used Swift’s music in several other posts. In April, the White House shared a video of the Artemis II crew meeting Trump that featured Swift’s song ‘High Infidelity’.
Another White House TikTok video used ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ from Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl album. The post featured US flags, monuments and images of Trump and generated widespread reaction online.
The administration has also faced objections from other musicians over the use of their songs. Artists including Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande have previously asked the Trump administration not to use their music.
The Trump communications team has frequently incorporated popular music into social media posts featuring the president, including videos about immigration enforcement, military operations and other political events.
The removal of Swift’s songs adds another chapter to the long-running tension between the pop star and Trump, although neither Swift nor the White House immediately provided a reason for the latest changes.
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