Donald Trump immigration video using Drake track ignites copyright and ethics debate

Drake’s latest musical rollout has unexpectedly crossed into U.S. political messaging after a White House TikTok video featuring Donald Trump used audio inspired by the rapper’s ICEMAN era, drawing widespread online attention and criticism.

The Canadian rapper recently released a three-part album project—ICEMAN, Habibti, and Maid of Honour—which quickly gained traction across social media platforms and fan communities.

That momentum took a political turn when the White House’s official TikTok account posted a video using an altered version of Drake’s ICEMAN aesthetic and sound to accompany messaging tied to Trump’s immigration agenda.

The clip, shared on TikTok, appeared to merge campaign-style visuals with trending music elements, a format that has become increasingly common in political social media strategy.

While the video did not explicitly feature Drake endorsing any political message, the use of his music and branding sparked debate online, with users questioning the appropriation of copyrighted material for policy promotion.

Criticism also surfaced in comments, with some viewers pointing out the irony of using a Canadian artist’s work in content promoting U.S. immigration policy, while others condemned the tone and presentation of the video.

The controversy is not isolated. In recent months, various political and official social media accounts have faced backlash for using popular songs by artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, and Usher without clear permission, often in viral clips tied to policy messaging.

Drake has not publicly responded to the White House TikTok post at the time of writing.