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 31 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 14 of the 45 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
62/100
Craft
95/100
Hype
25/100
45 sources · methodology
Missing from the right
Only 6 of the 31 outlets with a published leaning rating that ran this story are rated right.
A reader who follows the right would not have seen this. We report the absence rather than explain it: outlets choose what to cover for many reasons, and we have no evidence about which one applies here.
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.
Coverage settled. We checked this 21 times and stopped on 23 Sept 2026, 10:30. The figures above are what it finished at.
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
14 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
11 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
6 rated outlets
- All six right‑rated outlets reported that Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson objected to the White House using her track in a TikTok video showing ICE operations. The digests repeatedly note her criticism and the use of strong language. Only Göteborgs‑Posten’s digest does not mention Larsson or the song, instead summarising unrelated news items.
- The Washington Times led on Larsson calling the administration “losers,” while Breitbart highlighted the same profanity‑laden insult. Times of India and Sapo each led on her describing the video as dehumanising. Globo’s digest led on the visual detail of ICE agents handcuffing immigrants. Each outlet’s lead reflects the phrasing reported in its digest.
- None of the right‑rated digests include any statement from the White House, nor do they provide background on the policy context or mention any cost figures. The digests also omit reference to other artists’ reactions beyond a generic mention by Times of India. These omissions are evident across the six summaries.
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 31 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 45% are rated left, 36% are rated centre, 19% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 45. 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 31 rated outlets on this story, 45% are rated left, 36% are rated centre, 19% 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 45 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…?
- 45 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
45 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
14- Zara Larsson Slams Trump’s White House As ‘Losers’ Over ICE Video (opens The Blast in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson’s ‘Midnight Sun’ Misused for ICE Deportation Video, Swedish Singer Furious at White House (opens Volkskrant in a new tab)
Volkskrant — is Volkskrant biased? Our profile of this outlet
- White House TikTok post goes silent after scathing Zara Larsson critique (opens NBC Dallas-Fort Worth in a new tab)
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth — is NBC Dallas-Fort Worth biased? Our profile of this outlet
- White House TikTok post goes silent after scathing Zara Larsson critique (opens NBC News in a new tab)
- White House TikTok post goes silent after scathing Zara Larsson critique (opens NBC Bay Area in a new tab)
NBC Bay Area — is NBC Bay Area biased? Our profile of this outlet
- White House TikTok post goes silent after scathing Zara Larsson critique (opens NBC LA in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Slams White House TikTok for Using Her Song in ICE Clip (opens Pink News in a new tab)
- ‘Losers’: Zara Larsson condemns White House for video using her song (opens Stuff in a new tab)
Show 6 more
- 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
11- Zara Larsson White House Midnight Sun ICE video explained (opens Attack of the Fanboy in a new tab)
Attack of the Fanboy — is Attack of the Fanboy biased? Our profile of this outlet
- White House TikTok post goes silent after scathing Zara Larsson critique (opens NBC Chicago in a new tab)
NBC Chicago — is NBC Chicago biased? Our profile of this outlet
- A Pop Star Denounces the Use of One of Her Songs in a White House Anti-Immigration Video: "It's Completely crazy." (opens La Libre in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson slams White House 'Midnight Sun' video (opens Far Out Magazine in a new tab)
Far Out Magazine — is Far Out Magazine biased? Our profile of this outlet
- 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)
Show 3 more
- 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
6- Zara Larsson Criticizes White House for Using ‘Midnight Sun' Video About Deportations to the USA (opens Globo in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Criticizes White House for Using the "Midnight Sun" in a Video About Deportations (opens Sapo in a new tab)
- News Show September 18 • Zara Larsson in New ICE Conflict with the White House (opens Göteborgs-Posten in a new tab)
Göteborgs-Posten — is Göteborgs-Posten biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson calls out US President Donald Trump's administration for unofficial song usage: ‘This video is so dehumanising ' (opens Times of India in a new tab)
Times of India — is Times of India biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Erupts at ‘F**king Losers’ in White House Using Her Song to Promote Deportations: ‘We’re Not That Different from the People in the Video’ (opens Breitbart in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson calls White House 'losers' over ICE video using her song (opens Washington Times in a new tab)
Washington Times — is Washington Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
14- Zara Larsson Rages Against Trump - Megahit Is Played in ICE Video (opens Magasin MACKEN in a new tab)
Magasin MACKEN — is Magasin MACKEN biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Denounces a "Dehumanizing" TikTok Video From the White House that Uses Its Title "Midnight Sun" (opens vanityfair.fr in a new tab)
vanityfair.fr — is vanityfair.fr biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson condemns White House for using ‘Midnight Sun’ in ICE video (opens dailyguardian.ca in a new tab)
dailyguardian.ca — is dailyguardian.ca biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson condemns White House over use of ‘Midnight Sun’ in ICE video - OloriSuperGal (opens Olori Supergal in a new tab)
Olori Supergal — is Olori Supergal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- It's so Dehumanizing: Zara Larsson Criticizes White House After Her Music Is Used in Deportation Video (opens IOL Portugal in a new tab)
IOL Portugal — is IOL Portugal biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Criticizes White House for Using the "Midnight Sun" in a Video About Deportations (opens SIC Notícias in a new tab)
SIC Notícias — is SIC Notícias biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Criticizes White House for Using Her Song in a Video About Deportations (opens Heti Világgazdaság in a new tab)
Heti Világgazdaság — is Heti Világgazdaság biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "Deshumanizing": This Swedish Pop Star Denounces the Use of One of His Songs by the Trump Administration in an Anti-Immigration Video (opens dhnet.be in a new tab)
Show 6 more
- Scandal Around a Song by Zara Larsson! Artist Who Climbed This Summer on the UNTOLD Scene From the Cluj Critic Harsh White House (opens Ştiri de Cluj in a new tab)
Ştiri de Cluj — is Ştiri de Cluj biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Slams White House: "This Is so Inhumane" (opens siol.net in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Reacts to US Using Her Song in a Video About Operations Against Immigrants. (opens Karar Gazetesi in a new tab)
Karar Gazetesi — is Karar Gazetesi biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Zara Larsson Criticized the White House for Using the Play "Midnight Sun" in a Video with Deportations (opens Mediafax in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Angry About Use of Music in Trump Deportation Video (opens Nieuws.nl in a new tab)
- Zara Larsson Fires Back at Trump Admin’s Use of ‘Midnight Sun’ in an ICE Promo, “You Guys Are F-cking Losers” (opens Thought Catalog in a new tab)
Thought Catalog — is Thought Catalog biased? Our profile of this outlet
How did this read?
About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.


