Katy Perry has publicly criticized the Trump administration for using her song 'Firework' in a TikTok video depicting U.S. military strikes in Iran. The video, posted on the official White House TikTok account on Thursday (July 23), synchronized the song's lyrics with clips of bomb explosions, captioned "Iran has been warned."

Perry expressed her disapproval on Saturday (July 25) in an X post, stating,

"I am deeply appalled and angry to see 'Firework' used on the White House TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it." She emphasized that her song was meant to be an anthem of hope and inner strength, not a soundtrack for violence.

The White House's use of Perry's song comes amid heightened tensions with Iran. President Donald Trump has indicated that while the U.S. is prepared for further action, negotiations with Iran are ongoing. Despite this, the U.S. Central Command has continued military strikes against Iranian targets.

Perry joins a list of artists who have criticized the Trump administration for unauthorized use of their music. Variety reports that artists like Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo have also condemned similar actions. In response to Perry's criticism, USA TODAY notes that Kaelan Dorr, Deputy Assistant to President Trump, shared a clip of Perry's 2012 music video 'Part of Me,' where she is portrayed in military boot camp, questioning her stance.

The ongoing conflict with Iran has resulted in a controversial casualty count, with the Defense Casualty Analysis System reporting 14 U.S. service members killed and 420 wounded. The Trump administration is attempting to classify recent strikes as a separate campaign from Operation Epic Fury, leading to debates over the casualty tally.

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