How did White House react to SZA criticizing use of her song in a Pro-ICE ad? Details explored

SZA publicly criticized the White House after her song was used in a pro-ICE clip, while sources suggested to TMZ that some staff viewed the resulting backlash as a boost to the post's attention. Instead of getting defensive, they leaned into it, flipping potential drama into free visibility.

On Monday (December 8), their X page dropped a video praising ICE officers, which stirred talk about borrowed tunes, creative ownership, or how gov messages often ride on artist vibes without asking first.

Now, according to TMZ, the administration answered politely when asked about the issue; White House spokeswoman, Abigail Jackson noted the post honored ICE's role in clearing the dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities. Jackson said:

"Thank you, SZA, for drawing even more attention to the tremendous work America’s ICE officers are doing by arresting dangerous criminal illegal aliens from American communities."

SZA criticizes White House over ICE video using her song

A clip making rounds online showed ICE personnel detaining individuals, tagged with a reference to SZA's track "Big Boy" plus its line on "It's cuffing SZN." 

The White House labeled it as spotlighting removals of undocumented offenders, treating the operation like a win for national safety while emphasizing law enforcement action.

On X, SZA clapped back, calling out officials for using her song to stir reactions and slammed it as cold-hearted and sneaky. She emphasized that she never permitted any such use.

SZA posted on X:

"White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK ..inhumanity +shock and aw tactics ..Evil n Boring"

Online chatter blew up fast. Some think this soft reply wasn't accidental - that maybe they're trying charm instead of conflict now, possibly reworking how they handle clashes involving celebrities, particularly as platforms mix entertainment and politics more every day.

Here are some fans' reactions regarding the incident:

"People are going to look back at this time period and realize the White House was posting like this. It’s so embarrassing," a user commented.

"SPEAK YOUR MIND, MY QUEEN!," another user commented.

"Imagine being a SZA fan in 2025," a netizen expressed.

"SZA said fine: I’ll deal with White House myself," a user wrote.

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