Katy Perry has criticised the White House after her song ‘Firework’ was used in a TikTok video featuring footage of military strikes in Iran.
The official White House TikTok account posted the clip on Thursday, pairing scenes of explosions and missile strikes with Perry’s 2010 hit, including the section with the lyrics “boom, boom, boom”. The caption on the post read: “Iran has been warned.”
The video quickly drew attention online, with one commenter predicting Perry would “freak out over this”.
On Saturday, Perry responded publicly, saying she was outraged by the use of the track and making clear she had not given permission for it to be included.
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
Perry wrote on X: “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.
She continued: “I wrote this song to be 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.
“My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”
The post came amid renewed attention on the White House’s social-media strategy, which has repeatedly sparked backlash when music is used in political messaging. In June, Ariana Grande also objected after one of her songs was used in a White House video promoting the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, and the audio was later muted.
Perry has also been in the headlines this year for her relationship with former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. The pair made their red-carpet debut together at the Tribeca Festival in New York in June 2026, and Trudeau later attended the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles, where Perry performed in the pre-match ceremony.
That appearance prompted some criticism, with detractors pointing out that Trudeau skipped Canada’s own opening match to be in Los Angeles for Perry’s set.