Trump White House Twists Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Have You Ever Tried This One’ Arrest Bit From ‘Juno’ Into ICE Propaganda Video
In a surprising twist of pop culture and politics, Sabrina Carpenter’s recent Short ‘n Sweet tour has inadvertently become a backdrop for a controversial White House TikTok video. During her performances, Carpenter entertained fans by playfully “arresting” audience members with pink prop handcuffs and engaging them in humorous antics, including a segment where she asks, “Have you ever tried this one?” while striking a unique pose. This light-hearted engagement resonated with fans and turned into a viral sensation, showcasing Carpenter’s charisma and ability to connect with her audience. However, the fun took a serious turn when the White House utilized her song “Juno” in a TikTok video aimed at highlighting the government’s deportation efforts, juxtaposing Carpenter’s playful lyrics with stark images of ICE arrests.
The 14-second video features scenes of individuals filming ICE agents in action, culminating in the sound of handcuffs being applied, paired with Carpenter’s playful query. The caption read, “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye,” which has raised eyebrows regarding the appropriateness of using a pop song in a context that many perceive as promoting a harsh immigration stance. This incident echoes a similar situation involving Olivia Rodrigo, who publicly criticized the Trump administration for using her song “All-American Bitch” in a video depicting ICE arrests. Rodrigo’s strong reaction emphasized the discomfort artists feel when their music is co-opted for political messaging without consent, especially when the content contradicts their values.
Carpenter, a known supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, joins a growing list of artists who have expressed discontent over the unauthorized use of their music in political campaigns. The trend has been particularly pronounced as the White House has increasingly leaned on popular music to amplify its messages, leading to backlash from artists like Kenny Loggins and Taylor Swift, who have also faced similar appropriations of their work. The White House’s strategy appears to be aimed at provoking media coverage, as representatives boast about successfully garnering attention from what they term “fake news media brands.” As the intersection of art and politics continues to evolve, the conversation around consent and artistic integrity remains crucial, with artists like Carpenter and Rodrigo at the forefront of advocating for their rights in the face of political exploitation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLmNbPv_O8U
While performing the song “Juno” on her recently wrapped Short ‘n Sweet tour,
Sabrina Carpenter
would
“arrest” a fan or celebrity
in the crowd in a fun moment involving pink prop handcuffs. The bit was a viral sensation during the outing that ended last month and it was accompanied by another viral favorite section where Carpenter would ask the crowd if they wanted to try out some “freaky positions,” before busting out a unique pose and saying “Have you ever tried… this one?”
On Monday (Dec. 1), the White House once again appropriated a playful pop culture meme to shine a light on its attempt to deport undocumented people. In a
14-second TikTok video
cued to “Juno,” a series of people are shown angrily filming ICE agents as they swoop in to arrest people on the street, with close-ups of handcuffs being slapped on someone. A series of clips of chases and arrests are then cued to Carpenter asking, “Have you ever tried this one?”
The caption to the clip reads “Have you ever tried this one? Bye-bye [kissy face emoji].”
At press time, a spokesperson for Carpenter had not returned
Billboard
‘s request for comment on the video;
Billboard
has also reached out to the White House to clarify if it got clearance from Carpenter to use her music in the ICE propaganda video.
The video dropped less than a month after
Olivia Rodrigo
lambasted the Trump administration
after the Department of Homeland Security posted an Instagram video soundtracked by her
Guts
track “All-American Bitch” showing ICE officers forcibly tackling, detaining and deporting people. In the comments, Rodrigo wrote, “don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” The video featured a montage of what appeared to be undocumented people voluntarily boarding DHS flights and giving a thumbs-up as they depart. “LEAVE NOW and self-deport using the CPB Home app,” read the caption. “If you don’t, you will face consequences.”
Carpenter, a vocal supporter of Trump’s 2024 election rival Vice President Kamala Harris, is the latest artist to object to the president’s repeated use of popular music for his political videos
without their permission
. The pace of such seemingly unsanctioned usage has ramped up over the past few months, with Kenny Loggins lashing out at Trump for using his
Top Gun
classic “Danger Zone” under an AI-generated video of the president seemingly
dumping a river of fecal matter
on American citizens participating in the anti-Trump “No Kings” protests.
Swifties also aired their ire at the White House last month over a TikTok video set to Swift’s hit Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single “The Fate of Ophelia,” renamed “
The Fate of America
,” depicting Trump’s mug shot from when he was charged with trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results as well as an image of POTUS kissing an American flag. While Swift — an avowed Harris supporter who Trump has repeatedly said he “hates” — has not commented on the seemingly unauthorized appropriation of her music, the White House sent a response to
Variety
in which it gloated about owning the libs.
Representatives said they made the video specifically to get “fake news media brands” to “breathlessly amplify” their message. “Congrats, you got played,” the rep said.
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