Taylor Swift criticised for "cowardly" silence after White House uses her song in Trump video

Taylor Swift is facing growing criticism after the White House used her song The Fate of Ophelia in a TikTok video featuring President Donald Trump.

The post, published on the official White House account on November 2, included a slideshow set to the track. It has since been filled with comments urging Swift to respond or take legal action.

The singer has not publicly addressed the video, and her silence has prompted backlash from some commentators and fans.

Writer Anthony Fantano described the lack of response as notable, publishing a piece titled "Taylor Swift is a Coward", in which he argued that the song was being used alongside “propagandist images” and highlighted “other disturbing and concerning usages,” including the use of the track Father Figure.

Fantano also pointed out Swift’s long-standing reputation for protecting her music rights, saying she is “known to be pretty litigious when it comes to protecting her music and her copyright.”

He questioned why the song remained on the platform, especially as the lyrics in the post were altered to replace “the fate of Ophelia” with “the fate of America.”

The situation has drawn comparisons to other artists’ recent reactions. Olivia Rodrigo criticised the Department of Homeland Security for using her song all american b---h, saying, “don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.”

The song was later removed from the post. Beyoncé, Neil Young, and other musicians have also publicly objected to the political use of their music.

Swift’s lack of comment has surprised some fans, particularly because she endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 election after Trump shared AI-generated images that falsely suggested her support.

Social media users have debated her silence, with some describing it as “cowardly” and others suggesting that Swift previously set expectations for vocal political engagement.

The White House TikTok post remains online. Swift has not stated the use of her song.