Zara Larsson Slams Donald Trump's White House for Using Her Song in ICE Arrest Video: 'Losers

A pop song about connection and the natural world has become the centre of a fresh dispute between Zara Larsson and Donald Trump's White House after her track Midnight Sun was used in a video showing ICE detentions.

The Swedish singer criticised the White House after it posted footage showing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detaining people, including men shown in handcuffs and other restraints. The video paired the images with the words 'never ending deportations', echoing the lyric 'never ending midnight sun' from Larsson's song.

Zara Larsson Calls White House ICE Video 'Dehumanising'

Larsson responded in a TikTok video, saying she was deeply upset by the use of her music alongside the immigration-enforcement footage. She said she wished she could speak directly to the person who made the video and emphasised that people facing immigration issues should not be viewed as fundamentally different from those watching the footage.

'I consider myself so lucky with the life that I've been dealt - the fact that I was born in Sweden, I have healthcare, I've had an education, I've had all these opportunities just sort of like laid out in front of me, I can travel, I get to do all of these amazing things... that's luck. That's luck. So much of that is luck,' she continued.

Larsson also argued that the video went beyond a political disagreement over immigration policy because it presented real people in a dehumanising way.

She pointed to one man wearing construction clothing as an example of how those shown in the footage could simply be people working and trying to provide better lives for their families.

'And I think sure, if you want to talk about politics and immigration politics, fine. But that's really not what this is. This video is so dehumanising. These people in this video, they're real people.'

She then criticised the choice of Midnight Sun, explaining that she viewed the song as being about connection with nature, the universe and other people rather than division. Larsson ended her response with a blunt message for those behind the video, saying, 'You guys are such f*****g losers. Like, it's crazy.'

Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Addison Rae Also Objected

Larsson joins a wider group of artists whose music has appeared in US government and Trump-related social media posts involving immigration enforcement.

Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo previously objected after their songs were used in ICE-related videos, while Addison Rae filed a copyright claim after the Department of Homeland Security used her song Diet Pepsi in an ICE-related video.

Rodrigo reportedly demanded that her music not be used for what she described as hateful political messaging, while Carpenter objected after Juno appeared in an ICE deportation video. Rae's copyright action was followed by the relevant media being disabled or having its audio removed.

Taylor Swift has also been drawn into the debate. She faced criticism after not publicly responding when her music was used in White House content, although reports later said some of her songs disappeared from Trump-affiliated TikTok posts.

An online claim that Swift's music was removed because she prompted TikTok to change its policies has circulated, but TikTok has not confirmed that she prompted such a change.

Why Zara Larsson Said 'I Love Criminals'

Larsson's latest comments follow earlier controversy over her statement that she 'loves criminals', which prompted backlash from some Trump supporters. She later explained that the remark was connected to her boyfriend, Swedish dancer Lamin Holmén, and said his past cannabis-related offence had affected his ability to enter the US.

Larsson said she was confused by the reaction, arguing that having a criminal conviction does not automatically make someone a bad person.

Her comments came after she had publicly discussed her support for immigrants and criticised ICE.

'I'm just saying that sometimes, just because someone has been convicted of a crime, doesn't mean that they're a bad person,' she explained.

The latest dispute therefore places Larsson's criticism of US immigration enforcement in a broader context. Her latest criticism centres on the White House's use of Midnight Sun alongside footage of ICE detentions and the message attached to the video.