The White House posted a social-media montage showing ICE officers carrying out immigration arrests set to a clip of Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Juno,” and the reaction was immediate. What was meant as a blunt show of enforcement quickly became cultural theater when the pop star herself called out the administration.
Carpenter replied on X that the video was “evil and disgusting” and demanded that her music not be used to “benefit your inhumane agenda,” joining a procession of celebrities outraged that their work was paired with government messaging. Her post lit up the timelines as fans cheered and critics rolled their eyes at another performer lecturing the country.
The White House didn’t back down; a spokeswoman pushed back hard, saying the administration “won’t apologize” for deporting dangerous criminals and even firing back with lines referencing Carpenter’s recent work. The exchange exposed the modern age of political theater where the state and the celebrity factory trade insults in public like gladiators.
This isn’t an isolated incident — from Olivia Rodrigo to other high-profile acts, left-leaning entertainers have repeatedly objected when their songs are used in pro-enforcement or pro-government contexts. It’s a predictable routine: celebrities profit from the country, then scold the very people who keep our streets safe when policy conflicts with their agenda.
Let’s be blunt: hardworking Americans don’t have the luxury of outrage theater. Law enforcement and immigration officers are doing the tough, thankless work of protecting our communities, and the government has a right to communicate about public-safety actions. If artists want special protection from being associated with lawful enforcement, the proper venue is a legal one — not performative virtue-signaling to millions of followers.
At the same time, conservatives should defend artistic rights from misuse, even as we reject the sanctimony of celebrity moralizing. Demand clarity on permission and copyright, but don’t let pop stars set the terms of national security or immigration policy. Americans deserve straightforward governance, respect for the rule of law, and less melodrama from Hollywood elites who think fame grants them veto power over the common good.
