Taylor Swift Keeps Quiet After Trump Accounts Remove Her Music From TikTok

Taylor Swift has taken a notably low-profile approach after several White House and "Team Trump" TikTok posts that originally used her music were stripped of audio in recent days. Unlike other artists who publicly denounced unauthorized uses of their songs, Swift's team has not issued a public statement.

One widely shared clip of the president and first lady watching fireworks originally featured Swift's song "August"; the soundtrack was later replaced by a country-tinged chant repeating, "I love Trump, I love Trump, Make America Great Again." Other posts that reportedly used Swift's tracks now display the message, "This sound isn't available."

Artists' Responses

Several musicians publicly objected when their music appeared in pro-Trump content. Katy Perry criticized a TikTok that paired her song "Firework" with declassified images of military strikes, calling it "a complete violation of everything my song stands for"; the clip was removed. Noah Kahan commented under an Instagram post that he "would never approve" of his song being used in support of the administration, and the audio was taken down. Sabrina Carpenter called a White House video that used her song "evil and disgusting," and Olivia Rodrigo blasted a Department of Homeland Security post that used her track All-American Bitch, which was later disabled on Instagram.

Legal And Platform Questions

It remains unclear whether the removals followed private legal threats from rights holders, takedown requests to platforms, or internal decisions by the campaign. A spokesperson for Swift did not respond to requests for comment. Generally, playing copyrighted music in public settings — including at rallies or on official social accounts — requires licenses, and artists have pushed back against apparent unauthorized uses in past campaigns.

White House Social-Media Strategy

The president's second-term social-media operation has embraced a faster, edgier approach, launching accounts that often push boundaries and deliberately court viral engagement. According to a White House official who previously spoke with news outlets, there are fewer approval layers than in past administrations, allowing posts to be more immediate and informal. That style can increase engagement: posts that include familiar songs tend to generate more likes, comments and shares, especially when they tap into an artist's active fan base.

At times the campaign appears to invite controversy — once tagging Swift directly with the caption, "I'm sure @Taylor Swift is going to be super excited we used her song! #taylorswift #maga #august." Whether that was trolling, a miscalculation, or a deliberate growth tactic is open to interpretation.

Broader Context

Other prominent musicians have seen songs quietly removed from recent White House posts, including Bad Bunny, and Jack White — who previously sued the president and his campaign over use of "Seven Nation Army" — reportedly had the track removed again from a hype video. The episode underscores tensions between viral political messaging and artists' control over how their work is used.

Taylor Swift's relationship with Donald Trump has been mixed over the years. He has publicly disparaged her at times, and has also offered rare, seemingly offhand compliments. Swift endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024, prompting an all-caps rebuke from Trump: "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!" Nonetheless, Swift has chosen not to wage a public dispute over these recent removals.

As platforms, rights owners and political accounts continue to navigate copyright and community standards, the situation remains fluid: some posts have been altered or removed, others persist, and the lines between legal takedown, private negotiation and platform enforcement are not always visible to the public.