Noah Kahan rejects White House use of his song 'American Cars' in viral social media row

Singer joined growing list of artists publicly objecting after political use of music sparked fresh online debate

Noah Kahan has publicly criticised the White House after his song "American Cars" was used in official social media posts, making him the latest musician to object to the political use of his music without approval.

The singer songwriter responded after a White House Instagram post featured "American Cars" alongside images of President Donald Trump visiting General Motors' flagship test site in Michigan. The same audio also appeared in a TikTok post from the White House, prompting fans to tag Kahan in the comments and ask whether he had authorised its use.

@whitehouse

Nothing like American cars 🇺🇸

♬ original sound - thelastofthebugs

Kahan left little room for interpretation in his response. Replying directly beneath the Instagram post, he wrote, "Would never approve of my music being used in support of you or this administration."

The Instagram post later appeared with its audio disabled, although the TikTok version reportedly continued to feature the song at the time of publication.

The criticism extended beyond Kahan himself. Noah Levine, who co wrote "American Cars" with the singer, also commented on the Instagram post with a strongly worded message expressing his opposition to the White House using the track. His response quickly circulated across social media as screenshots of the exchange spread online.

Representatives for Kahan and the White House had not publicly commented further following the exchange.

Kahan's reaction places him among a growing number of high profile musicians who have publicly opposed the use of their songs by the Trump administration or the White House in social media content and political messaging.

Just days earlier, Katy Perry criticised the White House after her 2010 hit "Firework" appeared in a TikTok video featuring footage of military strikes. Perry said she was "deeply appalled and angry" by the video's use of her music, adding that she had neither been asked for permission nor approved its inclusion.

In June, Ariana Grande also objected after the White House used a version of her 2024 song "Bye" in a TikTok post depicting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers carrying out arrests. Grande shared her disapproval publicly after the video gained widespread attention online.

Other artists who have previously criticised Donald Trump or his political campaigns over the use of their music include Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Celine Dion, Neil Young and The Rolling Stones. In several earlier cases, artists and rights holders requested that songs no longer be used at campaign rallies or in political content.

The latest dispute involving Kahan highlights the continuing tension surrounding music licensing and political messaging on social media platforms. While copyright law and platform licensing agreements can differ from personal endorsement, many artists have chosen to publicly clarify when they believe the use of their work could be interpreted as support for a political figure or administration.