‘Symptoms of TDS’: White House Snaps at Noah Kanan For Criticizing Unauthorized Use Of His Music
The White House has publicly criticised singer-songwriter Noah Kahan after he objected to his song "American Cars" being used in official social media posts celebrating President Trump's visit to a Michigan auto plant. Kahan said he would "never approve" of his music supporting Trump or his administration, prompting a senior White House communications official to accuse him of showing "symptoms of TDS" (Trump Derangement Syndrome). The spat highlights a recurring tension between the Trump administration and musicians over unauthorised or unwelcome use of their work in political content.
Kahan's track, from his chart-topping album The Great Divide, soundtracked White House TikTok and Instagram posts of Trump signing a Corvette at a General Motors plant in Milford, Michigan. His Instagram comment criticising the use drew over 53,500 likes, while his co-writer Noah Levine posted a since-deleted expletive-laden remark. The White House defended the usage, noting Kahan's music is available through a 2024 licensing agreement between Universal Music Group and Meta, and Kahan joins a growing list of artists—including Beyoncé, Adele, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna—who have objected to similar uses of their music by the administration.
In short
- White House used Kahan's song in Trump auto plant videos
- Kahan objected; White House accused him of "TDS"
- Music was licensed via a 2024 UMG-Meta deal for Instagram
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the White House's position would argue that the licensing arrangement between Universal Music Group and Meta made the use of "American Cars" legally permissible, so no wrongdoing occurred, and that artists who release music commercially cannot expect total control over every platform or context in which it appears. They would contend that celebrating domestic manufacturing and a presidential visit to a Michigan plant is a legitimate, non-partisan use of American-themed music, and that framing routine promotional content as an outrage is an overreaction. From this view, robust pushback against celebrity criticism, including blunt characterisations of the artist's motives, is a fair response to what they see as performative, self-important objections from wealthy entertainers.
The case against
Kahan's defenders would argue that artists have a legitimate moral, if not always legal, interest in how their work is associated with political figures or causes they do not endorse, since music can carry personal and cultural meaning that artists reasonably wish to protect from being read as an endorsement. They would note that a licensing deal covering technical platform rights does not necessarily equate to an artist's consent to political association, and that many musicians across the spectrum have long objected to campaigns using their songs without permission. They would also suggest that a government body publicly mocking a private citizen's motives, rather than simply addressing the substance of the complaint, raises separate concerns about proportionate official conduct.
Explained simply
Noah Kahan, an American singer-songwriter, objected when his song appeared in White House social media posts celebrating a presidential visit to a car factory. The Trump administration had obtained the rights to use the song through standard music licensing arrangements, but Kahan objected to his work being used to support the administration.
This is not an isolated incident. Several high-profile musicians, including Beyoncé, Adele, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna, have previously objected to their songs being used in contexts associated with the Trump administration, indicating a pattern of such disputes.
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