Olivia Rodrigo has shared her thoughts on the Donald Trump administration’s clashes with famous musicians. The pop star believes these public conflicts carry greater significance. She recently reflected on her own conflict over the use of one of her songs. Rodrigo did not hold back while discussing the issue.
Olivia Rodrigo says the Trump administration uses fights with musicians as a distraction tactic
Rodrigo spoke to NPR on Sept. 3 about the Department of Homeland Security’s use of her song “All-American Bitch.” DHS paired the song with a video promoting immigration enforcement raids in November. Rodrigo had previously responded, “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.” Now she explained why the incident still upsets her.
“Ugh, my god,” Rodrigo said during the interview. She called it “awful” to see her song paired with what she described as “grotesque, cruel scenes of ICE raids.” Rodrigo said she wrote the song about feeling trapped in a “misogynistic box” placed around women. She then suggested the administration uses disputes with celebrities to shift public attention.
“Looking back at it now, I think that’s sort of a tool they use,” she said. “Picking fights with pop stars is a great distraction while they do other awful, awful things.” The agency said Americans should thank federal law enforcement officers and suggested Rodrigo should not “belittle their sacrifice.”
Rodrigo is not the first musician to have charged the government with exploiting artists for attention. After the White House used her song “Big Boy,” SZA wrote on X, “White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK.” A DHS official also previously told Variety that the agency anticipated that media outlets would amplify celebrity disputes.
The official said, “Congrats, you got played,” after Taylor Swift fans objected to the use of “The Fate of Ophelia” in a TikTok video.
Originally reported by Ayusi Adhikari on Reality Tea
