Folk singer Noah Kahan publicly objected after learning that President Donald Trumps White House had used his song American Cars in official social media content.
According to the Daily Caller, Kahan discovered that the track had been featured in a video promoting President Trumps recent speech in Michigan, where the President emphasized the importance of American auto manufacturing. Would never approve of my music being used in support of you or this administration, Kahan wrote on Instagram, a pointed rebuke that quickly drew tens of thousands of likes, The Hollywood Reporter noted.
Rather than quietly removing the track or ignoring the criticism, the White House opted to answer back, signaling it would not concede cultural ground to a hostile entertainment industry. Trumps team refused to let the Stick Season singer frame the narrative unchallenged.
White House deputy communications director Kaelan Dorr responded on X with a jab at the artists politics and persona. Symptoms of TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome] apparently include having a northern attitude, he posted, directly riffing on Kahans hit Northern Attitude.
Kahan now joins a long roster of performers who have bristled at their work being associated with President Trumps America First agenda. Other big names who have objected to Trumps use of their songs include cross-genre hitmakers Katy Perry, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Foo Fighters, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Beyonc, Nickelback, Kenny Loggins and more, Billboard reported.
While progressive-leaning artists continue to distance themselves from the Presidents message, his team appears content to highlight the disconnect between elite celebrity culture and millions of voters who embrace his policies. Kahan, a Vermont native currently touring in support of his new studio album The Great Divide, first broke through with his 2022 record Stick Season, underscoring how even rising stars are quickly pulled into the cultural battle lines surrounding President Trump.
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