Trump may be a stranger to some things (like the Declaration of Independence), but cease-and-desists aren’t one of them. Recently, numerous artists have written these legal statements — or made comments similar to them — demanding the Trump administration to stop using their music without permission.

Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny has been critical of Trump for a long time, sharing pro-Harris clips on social media and supporting Harris in the 2024 election. In an interview last September, the musician said he’d chosen to exclude the US from his most recent tour over concerns about the Trump administration’s mass deportations. “There were many reasons why I didn’t show up in the US, and none of them were out of hate,” he said. “There was the issue of—like, f*ing ICE could be outside [my concert].”

Sabrina Carpenter

In December 2025, the White House posted a video using one of Carpenter’s songs as the backdrop to a montage of ICE officers detaining and arresting people. Carpenter responded on X: “this video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”

Kenny Loggins

In October 2025, on the same day protesters participated in a daylong mass demonstration, known as “No Kings,” Trump posted an AI-generated video showing him wearing a crown, flying a jet labeled “King Trump,” and dumping brown liquid on protesters. 

Loggins was surprised to hear his song “Danger Zone” playing in the background, denouncing the video and its use of his music, adding “Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately.” 

“I can’t imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us,” he added. “Too many people are trying to tear us apart, and we need to find new ways to come together.”

Olivia Rodrigo

In November 2025, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security posted a reel on Instagram of ICE agents arresting and deporting people, using Rodrigo’s “All-American Bitch” as the audio.

Rodrigo clearly expressed her disapproval in the comments, writing: “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” Although the comment has since been deleted, many other comments show support towards Rodrigo. As a cherry on top, the song is no longer available on Instagram, and the post plays to silence.

Taylor Swift

On the other hand, one artist’s silence has been shocking, considering her political stance in the past. Recently, the Trump administration has used music from Swift’s newest album, The Life of a Showgirl, in posts on social media. 

A TikTok shared by the official White House account plays to the chorus of The Fate of Ophelia, cutting to pictures of the US military, the flag, Trump, and JD Vance.

Another, set to Father Figure, plays off the lyric “this empire belongs to me” with the caption “this empire belongs to @President Donald J Trump.” 

Surprisingly, Swift hasn’t said anything in public. It’s curious that she and her team haven’t issued a statement to distance her from a president she has anything but supported in the past. Endorsing Harris in the 2024 election and previously criticizing the supreme court, Swift has said “I need to be on the right side of history.” But recently, Swift has been less vocal about political issues, posing the question if she still feels the same way.

While some believe that publicly opposing the Trump administration could add to the fracture of a fragile nation, it doesn’t mean it’s always the right decision.