Shockwave: White House Weaponizes Bad Bunny & Drake Hits in Controversial ICE Deportation Videos

The White House has ignited controversy by utilizing popular songs from artists Bad Bunny and Drake to soundtrack promotional videos for President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign. These videos, posted on the White House’s TikTok account, have drawn significant backlash from fans and raised questions about the unauthorized use of the artists' music, especially given their past criticisms of the administration's policies.

On Thursday, July 30, a video was shared featuring Bad Bunny’s “La Mudanza,” a song that reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2025. The clip interspersed quick-cut images of President Trump with footage of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detaining undocumented individuals. A lyric from the song, “un aplauso para mami y papi porque en verdad rompieron” (“a round of applause for mom and dad, because they really crushed it”), was altered in the video to read, “A round of applause for Donald J. Trump because he really crushed it.” The post's caption further stated, “We’re making America great again.” While some of the president’s supporters praised the video, it immediately provoked outrage in the comments section, with users expressing sentiments like “I know you f–king didn’t!!!!” and “Do not disrespect Bad Bunny like that,” alongside criticisms of the administration’s immigration stance, such as “No one is illegal on stolen land.”

Following this, on Friday, July 31, the White House released another music-driven deportation video, this time set to Drake’s “Hoe Phase,” the opening track from his MADE OF HONOUR album, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200. This video included scenes of helicopters, airplanes, the U.S.-Mexico border, and more footage of people being detained by ICE. Its caption read, “Let us remind you if you’re here illegally, you’re going home,” while text within the video displayed a lyric from Drake’s song: “Did you forget about back home?” Similar to the Bad Bunny post, this TikTok also garnered criticism from commenters, with several referencing the Epstein files by asking, “Did you forget about those files?” (The president has previously denied any wrongdoing concerning Epstein).

These controversial videos come as President Trump continues to prioritize the removal of undocumented individuals. Since his return to the White House in January 2025, the twice-impeached president has expanded immigration enforcement and advocated for a sweeping mass-deportation effort, making ICE arrests and removals a central component of his domestic agenda.

Both artists featured in the videos have openly criticized the president and his immigration policies. Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican artist (from a U.S. territory), has been an outspoken opponent of ICE operations and the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. During his acceptance speech for best música urbana album at the 2026 Grammy Awards, he declared, “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.” Drake, a Canadian artist from Toronto, also voiced his disapproval of Trump during his February 2017 “Boy Meets World Tour” show in London, stating, “If you think one man can tear this world apart, you’re out of your motherf–king mind. It’s on us to keep this s–t together. F–k that man.” Billboard has attempted to contact representatives for both Bad Bunny and Drake, as well as the White House, for comment on the matter.