Zara Larsson condemns White House for using Midnight Sun in deportation video

The White House announced Wednesday that it had removed a segment of Swedish artist Tim Larsson’s music video “Midnight Sun” from a promotional reel circulated on its official social‑media channels after the artist publicly described the clip as “dehumanising.” The decision follows an email sent by Larsson’s publicist, which argued that the footage, which depicted a stylised montage of crowds and abstract imagery, misrepresented the song’s intended message and reduced the subjects to visual stereotypes.

The reel, originally posted in early August as part of a broader outreach campaign highlighting cultural initiatives, incorporated a 15‑second excerpt from “Midnight Sun” without prior clearance from Larsson’s team. In response to the artist’s complaint, the White House’s Office of Digital Strategy issued a brief statement confirming that the segment had been removed and that future content would undergo a more rigorous review process to ensure compliance with copyright and artistic integrity standards.

The removal underscores the administration’s heightened sensitivity to the use of copyrighted material in official communications and reflects ongoing efforts to balance promotional objectives with respect for creators’ rights. No further comment was provided on whether additional content featuring Larsson’s work will be considered for future releases.