Ariana Grande’s ‘Eternal Sunshine’ tour begins in Oakland
Ariana Grande is back on stage with the start of her “Eternal Sunshine” tour. The star kicked things off on June 6, 2026 in Oakland, California.
Ariana Grande doesn’t want President Donald Trump’s White House to use her music to promote its policies.
“Please never use my music in connection with this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense,” Grande said in a video posted to TikTok by the White House on June 9 highlighting immigration enforcement policies. The video, which shows federal agents arresting and handcuffing people, features the Grammy-winning singer’s 2024 song “Bye,” Reuters and the Guardian report.
The audio and Grande’s comments have since been deleted.
Grande’s representatives have not provided any information on the matter, but Reuters reports, citing sources close to Grande, that her team is considering ways to remove the music from the video as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said in a June 12 statement to USA TODAY: “Let me say one last time: What is actually barbaric, inhumane and heinous are criminal illegal aliens who have harmed and killed innocent American citizens.”
Grande has criticized Trump.
This isn’t the first time Grande, 32, who recently launched her Eternal Sunshine Tour, has criticized Trump and his administration. Last year, the Oscar-nominated actress took to her Instagram Story to ask people who voted for Trump if their lives had gotten better since the president returned.
Trump, now in his second non-consecutive term, has an active social media presence, with his communications team frequently posting short videos featuring popular songs highlighting the president’s efforts to fulfill campaign promises.
When asked by Variety about the November 2025 video’s use of music by Taylor Swift, the White House responded, “We created this video because we knew fake news media brands like Variety would gasp and amplify it. Congratulations, it got played.” Swift declined to allow her music to be used.
Other artists object to White House’s use of their songs
Grande is just the latest musician or band to speak out against the use of their music by the Trump administration and campaign.
Other artists who have sent cease-and-desist letters or threatened lawsuits include Aerosmith, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Phil Collins, Celine Dion, Olivia Rodrigo, John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John, Linkin Park, Panic! At the Disco, REM, Leanna, Semisonic, The Rolling Stones, The Smiths, The White Stripes, Pharrell Williams, Neil Young, and the estates of Prince, Sinead O’Connor, and Tom Petty.
Contributor: Reuters/Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
