The latest artist to of the White House social media page’s relentless trolling of artists appears to be SZA.
On Wednesday, Dec. 10, after a White House post on X featuring her music began circulating, the 36-year-old singer didn’t hesitate to call them out for what she described as blatant “rage baiting.”
“White House rage baiting artists for free promo is PEAK DARK ..inhumanity + shock and aw tactics … Evil n Boring,” she wrote in a post on X.
The clip in question featured a soundbite of her “Big Boys” skit-song from her 2022 “Saturday Night Live” appearance, laid over footage of ICE agents making arrests.
“WE HEARD IT’S CUFFING SZN,” the White House’s official account wrote. “Bad news for criminal illegal aliens. Great news for America.”
In the original “SNL” skit — also starring Keke Palmer, Cecily Strong, Ego Nwodim, and Punkie Johnson — the women are on the hunt for romance and specifically among “big boys” for cuffing season. As each of the comedians performs their verse, SZA anchors the bit with the now-viral chorus, “It’s cuffing season.”
As SZA’s criticism began gaining traction online, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded directly — though not to address SZA’s concerns. Instead, she used the moment to spotlight ICE further.
“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,” Jackson said, per ABC 7.
This administration seems increasingly hell-bent on using music from artists who don’t align with their messaging. Earlier this month, the White House paired Sabrina Carpenter’s “Juno” with an ICE-themed post; Carpenter quickly objected, calling it “evil and disgusting,” and the clip was ultimately deleted. In recent months, officials have also used Olivia Rodrigo’s “All-American Bitch” in a DHS video and Usher’s “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” in a clip — both removed after the artists or their teams pushed back. And few have forgotten when they attempted to use Beyoncé’s “Freedom” without authorization during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
It’s an increasingly bizarre pattern, especially given how many major stars — including Nicki Minaj — have openly aligned themselves with the Trump Administration, offering more than enough material that wouldn’t require provoking artists who aren’t interested in the association.
