Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan has criticised the White House for using his song "American Cars" without permission in social media posts marking President Trump's visit to a Michigan auto plant. Kahan becomes the latest in a lengthy line of musicians objecting to the Trump administration co-opting their work for political promotion, highlighting ongoing tension between artists and the White House over unauthorised use of copyrighted music.

The White House posted TikTok and Instagram content set to Kahan's track after Trump toured General Motors' proving grounds in Milford, Michigan. Kahan commented that he would "never approve" of his music supporting the administration, a remark that drew more than 21,000 likes, while his co-writer Noah Levine left a blunter rebuke that was reportedly later removed; the song remained in the White House's TikTok post at the time of writing. The incident follows similar complaints from Katy Perry, whose "Firework" was used alongside military strike footage, and Ariana Grande, who objected to her song "Bye" being used in a clip of ICE arrests, adding to a long list of artists, including Beyoncé, Adele and Rihanna, who have spoken out against such use.