Taylor Swift Slammed for Staying Silent as Trump Team Uses Her Songs While Olivia Rodrigo Takes a Stand

Two of pop's biggest female voices have found themselves on opposite sides of a political storm. Taylor Swift, the world's most influential pop icon, is facing harsh criticism for staying silent after Trump's campaign used her song without permission, while Olivia Rodrigo, the Grammy-winning voice of Gen Z, is being praised for hitting back after discovering her music was used in a US deportation video.

The TikTok Video

The controversy erupted when the Trump administration released a 22-second TikTok video set to Swift's song 'The Fate of Ophelia', rebranded as 'The Fate of America'. The clip paired Swift's lyrics with dramatic political imagery, from military footage to Trump's Fulton County Jail mugshot.

When the lyric 'Don't care where the hell you been' played, Trump's mugshot appeared, a choice that viewers quickly labelled 'provocative' and 'deeply manipulative'.

The caption 'Our Vibes' and an American flag emoji completed the edit, framing it as a celebration of Trump's 'America First' message.

The use of Swift's song drew outrage almost immediately. Critics pointed out that the former president has repeatedly attacked Swift, famously writing 'I hate Taylor Swift' on Truth Social and claiming that his insults had made her 'no longer hot'.

The incident also reignited discussion about artists' rights and political ethics, as Trump's team has a long record of using songs without permission. British pop singer Jess Glynne and rock band Queen have both previously demanded that their music be removed from campaign materials.

Swift's Silence and the Growing Backlash

What angered many fans most was not the unauthorised use itself, but Swift's lack of response. The pop icon, long known for her advocacy around women's rights and democracy, has yet to issue any statement condemning the Trump team's actions.

'Taylor Swift's music has been used in three separate TikToks by the Trump team, and she's yet to do anything,' one viral post read.

Critics argue that Swift's quietness undermines her image as a politically aware artist. She has previously endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, spoken out against misinformation, and even called out Trump for sharing AI-generated images falsely showing her support for him.

Still, some defenders believe Swift's silence could be strategic. 'She's waiting for her legal team to act,' one fan suggested on X. Others said she may be avoiding amplifying the video further by acknowledging it publicly.

Olivia Rodrigo's Bold Reaction

In stark contrast, Olivia Rodrigo quickly condemned a similar misuse of her music. The 22-year-old singer discovered that her track 'All-American Bitch' had been used in a Department of Homeland Security video promoting deportations.

The clip, which showed ICE agents detaining people alongside the caption 'IF ICE FINDS YOU', was posted on the government's social media accounts. Rodrigo swiftly responded in a comment that read: 'Don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.' The comment was deleted later, but screenshots went viral within minutes.

Rodrigo's response earned widespread praise from fans and commentators alike. Many contrasted her decisiveness with Swift's silence. One user wrote, 'This just proved she's not Taylor's daughter because Taylor would never have had the guts to do something like this.'

Others saw Rodrigo's move as part of a broader shift among younger artists willing to call out political misuse of their art directly.

Music and Politics

The twin controversies have reignited debate about the ethical use of music in political campaigns. While copyright laws technically protect artists from unauthorised usage, enforcement becomes murky when the content is shared on social platforms like TikTok.

Critics argue that these incidents show how political groups exploit pop culture to gain attention, even when the artists themselves oppose their values.

As of now, Swift has yet to respond publicly to the use of her song. But the pressure is mounting. With Rodrigo's firm stance setting an example, many are calling on the world's biggest pop star to take her own stand and reclaim control of her voice.