White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks backlash
The administration pulled "Midnight Sun" from a TikTok reel after the Swedish singer called the clip dehumanising and labelled the White House "losers".
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Zara Larsson was furious after seeing the video on The White House TikTok account
Photograph: Daily Mirror (embedded from source)
What this story says
- The White House posted a TikTok video of ICE arrests with Zara Larsson's song "Midnight Sun" as background music.
- Larsson responded on TikTok, describing the clip as dehumanising and calling the White House "losers".
- Following her criticism, the White House removed the song from the reel.
- The incident was reported by outlets across the political spectrum.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 15 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. Coverage measured .
Trust
62/100
Craft
95/100
Hype
25/100
15 sources · methodology
Thin on the right so far
Only 1 of the 15 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
This story is still being watched, so it is a count and not yet a finding. Coverage keeps arriving for hours after an event, and a side that has published nothing this morning may publish by tonight. If it is still true when we stop checking, we will say so plainly.
The White House’s official TikTok account shared a 19‑second reel that showed ICE agents handcuffing and deporting roughly a dozen men. The clip used the Swedish pop star’s track "Midnight Sun" and carried the caption "never ending deportations".
Zara Larsson posted her own TikTok reply, calling the video "dehumanising" and expressing sadness. In the response she held up an "L" gesture and said the White House were "losers", using strong language to condemn the use of her music.
After the criticism, the White House removed "Midnight Sun" from the TikTok reel, ending the use of the song in that particular post.
“"You guys are such f*****g losers. Like, it's crazy."”
What the coverage left out
None of the left‑rated digests mention that the White House removed the song after Larsson’s criticism. None of the right‑rated reports mention the removal either.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 18 Sept 2026, 02:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
7 rated outlets
- All seven left‑rated outlets highlighted Larsson’s condemnation, her description of the video as dehumanising, and her use of the phrase "you guys are such f*****g losers". The Daily Mirror’s full report quoted her at length, noting her frustration with the White House and her broader comments about immigration and luck. Several digests (Stuff, Rolling Stone, Billboard, The Cut, Variety, IBTimes) also placed the incident in the context of other artists who have objected to their music being used by the administration.
Centre
7 rated outlets
- All seven centre‑rated outlets reported the basic facts: the White House used "Midnight Sun" in a TikTok showing ICE arrests, Larsson called the clip dehumanising, and the administration subsequently removed the song. The BBC digest explicitly noted the removal, while The Source, Mandatory, Forbes, The Hill, Reality Tea and Newsner Svenska focused on the criticism and the corrective action without quoting the profanity.
Right
1 rated outlet
- The single right‑rated outlet, the Washington Times, centred its digest on Larsson’s direct quote calling the White House "losers" and on the fact that the song was used in an ICE video. It did not mention the subsequent removal of the track.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks…?
- Of the 15 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 47% are rated left, 46% are rated centre, 7% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks… left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 15 rated outlets on this story, 47% are rated left, 46% are rated centre, 7% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks… biased?
- White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks backlash is one event reported by 15 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which side is not reporting White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks…?
- When we first saw this story, outlets rated right had barely covered it. Coverage accretes for hours after an event, so that is where to look rather than a verdict — the split above is the current count, and it is the one to read.
- Which outlets covered White House removes Zara Larsson's song after TikTok ICE video sparks…?
- 15 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What song did the White House use in the TikTok video?
- The White House used Zara Larsson’s track "Midnight Sun" as the background music for a TikTok reel that showed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting and deporting people. The use of the song prompted a public reaction from the artist.
- How did Zara Larsson respond to the video?
- Larsson posted a TikTok reply describing the clip as dehumanising, expressing sadness, and calling the White House "losers" while holding up an "L" gesture. She also criticised the association of her music with immigration enforcement and highlighted the humanity of the people shown.
- What action did the White House take after her criticism?
- Following Larsson’s criticism, the White House removed "Midnight Sun" from the TikTok reel. The removal was noted by several centre‑rated outlets, confirming that the administration ceased using the song in that particular post.
Read it at the source
15 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
7- ‘Losers’: Zara Larsson condemns White House for video using her song (opens Stuff in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Condemns ‘Dehumanizing’ White House TikTok (opens The Cut in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Slams Trump White House for Using ‘Midnight Sun’ in ICE Video: ‘So Dehumanizing’ (opens RollingStone in a new tab)
RollingStone — is RollingStone biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Slams White House for Using ‘Midnight Sun’ in ICE Video: ‘So Dehumanizing’ (opens Billboard in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Blasts Trump’s White House as ‘F—ing Losers’ for Using ‘Midnight Sun’ to Promote Deportations (opens Variety in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Calls Trump White House 'Losers' After Song Is Used in ICE Video (opens IBTimes UK in a new tab)
IBTimes UK — is IBTimes UK biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larrson's 1-word insult for Donald Trump after song used in ICE video (opens Daily Mirror in a new tab)
Daily Mirror — is Daily Mirror biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
7- Zara Larsson criticises White House for using her song in deportation video (opens BBC News in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Rips White House Over Unauthorized Song Use in Immigration Post: "You guys are such f**king losers.” (opens The Source in a new tab)
The Source — is The Source biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Reacts to Her Unexpected White House Feature (opens Mandatory in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Condemns White House For Using Her Song In ICE Deportation Video: ‘I’m Just Sad’ (opens Forbes in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson bashes White House over ‘Midnight Sun’ ICE video: ‘You guys are such f—ing losers’ (opens The Hill in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Reacts to Her Unexpected White House Feature (opens Reality Tea in a new tab)
Reality Tea — is Reality Tea biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson's Anger at the White House - After the Published Pictures (opens Newsner Svenska in a new tab)
Newsner Svenska — is Newsner Svenska biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
1Not rated
0No outlet in this group ran the story.
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