Trump campaign uses Swift song, pulls it after copyright claim

The White House’s TikTok account posted a video this week that appeared to mock Taylor Swift by using her song “Look What You Made Me Do” in a clip featuring Donald and Melania Trump watching fireworks, only for Swift’s team to file a copyright claim within hours, silencing the post.

The stunt fits a pattern: Team Trump has repeatedly targeted Swift, a vocal critic of the former president, using her music without permission at rallies and in social media posts. The move is seen as retaliation for her 2018 endorsement of Democrats and her public support for Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Swift’s use of her platform to advocate for political causes has made her a high-profile figure in U.S. culture wars, drawing both praise and backlash.

The fireworks video, which showed the Trumps from behind in silhouette, was quickly removed after Swift’s team filed a copyright takedown. Legal experts say such uses of copyrighted music without permission are common in political messaging but often result in swift takedowns when artists object. Swift’s team has aggressively protected her intellectual property, including suing a former record executive over unauthorized use of her songs and blocking political ads that feature her music without consent.

The episode underscores the tension between politics and pop culture, where artists’ work is often weaponized in campaigns. Swift has not commented publicly on the latest incident, but her history of pushing back suggests future disputes could arise if her music is used without permission. For Trump’s team, the tactic may backfire, reinforcing perceptions of pettiness while drawing more attention to Swift’s influence. Legal experts warn that repeated violations could lead to more aggressive legal action from Swift’s camp, including potential lawsuits for damages. The rapid takedown also highlights how social media platforms enforce copyright claims, often siding with artists over political figures.