SZA is calling out the White House — loudly, bluntly, and with zero hesitation. The Grammy-winning singer became the latest artist to condemn the Trump administration after her music was used without her approval in a political post online.
The controversy ignited earlier this week when the official White House account on X shared a video mocking ICE arrests. The clip was set to “Big Boys,” a song the 36-year-old star performed during her Saturday Night Live appearance in 2022. The caption read: “WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN. ⛓️ Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America.”
The reaction was swift. SZA’s longtime manager, Terrence “Punch” Henderson, was the first to address it, accusing the administration of exploiting artists in order to advance political narratives. On X, he wrote: “Trying to provoke artist to respond in order to help spread propaganda and political agendas is nasty business. Knock it off.”
But things escalated when SZA herself weighed in. On Wednesday (December 10), she tweeted a sharp rebuke aimed directly at the Trump administration:
“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK. Inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring ”
Her criticism joins a chorus of artists who have publicly objected to their work being used in political messaging without authorization. Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and numerous others have previously condemned the administration for similar incidents, highlighting a recurring pattern of music being taken and repurposed for content or rallies without proper permission.
