Katy Perry condemns White House for using 'Firework' in strike footage

Katy Perry criticised the White House after its official TikTok account used her hit song Firework in a video featuring footage of U.S. military strikes on Iran.

The singer said she was neither asked for permission nor approved the use of the song, arguing it contradicted the message she intended when she wrote it.

Perry says song was used without permission

In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Perry said she was "deeply appalled and angry" to see Firework accompanying footage of military action.

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

She added that the song was written as "an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength" for people facing difficult moments in their lives.

According to Perry, using it alongside scenes of destruction was "a complete violation of everything my song stands for."

White House video sparks backlash

The White House shared the video on Thursday, showing unclassified footage of missile strikes on what appeared to be Iranian military infrastructure.

The clip was edited to Firework, featuring lyrics including "boom boom" and "even brighter than the moon," and was captioned: "Iran has been warned."

The White House had not publicly responded to Perry's criticism at the time of publication.

Other artists have raised similar objections

Perry joins several artists who have publicly objected to the White House using their music in social media content.

Earlier this year, Ariana Grande criticised the use of her song Bye in a pro-immigration enforcement video, while Kesha objected to the use of her track Blow in another White House TikTok, saying she did not approve of her music being used to promote violence.