Noah Kahan has publicly objected to the White House using his music without permission, joining a growing list of artists who have taken similar action against the Trump administration.
After President Trump visited a Michigan auto plant this week to promote American-made cars, the administration posted videos and photos on TikTok and Instagram set to Kahan's song "American Cars," from his fourth studio album The Great Divide, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Kahan left a comment on the Instagram post stating, "Would never approve of my music being used in support of you or this administration." That comment had more than 21,000 likes as of press time, according to Billboard. The audio on the Instagram version appeared to have been disabled by press time, though the song remained in the White House TikTok, where it plays as Trump signs a white Corvette at the General Motors proving grounds in Milford, Michigan.
Kahan was not alone in responding. Noah Levine, a frequent co-writer and co-author of "American Cars," left his own comment on the Instagram post. His comment was more direct: "You fat f–k this song isn't for you." A number of fans reported that Levine's comment appeared to have been removed. The White House had not responded to Billboard's request for comment as of press time.
The incident follows a similar situation involving Katy Perry just days earlier. The White House used her 2010 hit "Firework" in a TikTok that featured footage of military strikes. Perry wrote on X: "I am deeply appalled and angry to see 'Firework' used on the @WhiteHouse 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." The video timed Perry's "boom, boom, boom" lyrics to black-and-white footage of bombing, with the caption "Iran has been warned." Perry added, "My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare."
Before Perry, Ariana Grande objected in June when the White House used a version of her 2024 song "Bye" in a TikTok showing ICE agents arresting people. "Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. F— ICE," Grande wrote in a comment that is no longer visible on the post.
Kahan, Perry, and Grande are part of a wider group of artists who have spoken out over the years about Trump using their music without authorization. That list includes Beyoncé, Adele, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Guns N' Roses, Jack White, Kenny Loggins, Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo, Ozzy Osbourne, Rihanna, and others. The issue of political figures using music without artist consent has persisted across multiple election cycles and into the current administration.
Kahan is 29 and based in Vermont. The White House has not issued a public response to his objection or to the complaints from Perry and Grande.
