Katy Perry 'deeply appalled' after White House uses 'Firework' in military strike video

Katy Perry expressed her anger toward the Trump administration after the White House used her song "Firework" as the backing track for a TikTok video featuring footage of military strikes.

The video was a nine-second clip showing what the White House described as "unclassified" footage of US-fired missiles hitting targets in Iran.

"I am deeply appalled and angry to see 'Firework' used on the White House TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes," the American pop star said on X.

"I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it," she added.

Katy said she wrote "Firework," released in 2010 as part of her album "Teenage Dream," as an anthem of "hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments."

"To see a message of self-worth and upliftment weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for," she said.

"My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare," she added.

In December 2025, Sabrina Carpenter also criticized the White House for the unauthorized use of her music after the Trump administration featured one of her songs in a social media video showing ICE agents apprehending people.

I am deeply appalled and angry to see “Firework” used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.

I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and…

— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 25, 2026

—Hermes Joy Tunac/MGP, GMA News