# White House sparks Noah Kahan backlash over unauthorised song use

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/noah-kahan-slams-white-house-for-using-song-in-social-media-post-would-never-approve/
- Published: 2026-07-29T04:32:06+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-29T10:47:49+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/music/news/noah-kahan-slams-white-house-american-cars-instagram-post-1236823051/
- Topics: Entertainment, Government, Music, Politics

## Key points

- Noah Kahan says White House misused his song "American Cars" without consent
- Co-writer Noah Levine posted a blunt, angry rebuke on Instagram
- Kahan joins Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and others in similar complaints

## Summary

Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan has publicly criticised the White House after it used his song "American Cars" in an Instagram post showing President Donald Trump visiting a General Motors test site in Michigan, saying he would "never approve" of his music being used to support the administration. His co-writer, Noah Levine, left a far more forceful comment condemning the use of the track, and the audio has since been disabled on the Instagram post, though it remains active on a companion TikTok clip. Representatives for Kahan and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.

Kahan is the latest in a lengthening list of musicians objecting to unauthorised use of their songs by the White House on social media. Days earlier, Katy Perry condemned the administration for pairing her hit "Firework" with TikTok footage of military strikes, saying she was "deeply appalled" and had not approved or been asked about its use, while Ariana Grande raised similar objections in June over the use of her song "Bye" alongside footage of ICE agents making arrests. Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Celine Dion, Neil Young and the Rolling Stones have also previously criticised Trump for using their music without permission, underlining a persistent and unresolved friction between artists and the White House's social media output.

## Coverage

- [Variety: White House sparks Noah Kahan backlash over unauthorised song use](https://variety.com/2026/music/news/noah-kahan-slams-white-house-american-cars-instagram-post-1236823051/)
- [Rolling Stone: Noah Kahan Slams White House for Using His Song in Trump Promo Video](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/noah-kahan-white-house-music-trump-video-1235600195/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.