A TikTok video posted by Donald Trump’s campaign has had its audio pulled after it used Taylor Swift’s song “August” without permission, reviving years-old tension between the pop star and the U.S. president.
Details:
- The video: The official ‘Team Trump’ TikTok account, which has 14 million followers, posted a clip of Donald and Melania Trump watching fireworks on a balcony, soundtracked by Swift’s ‘August’ from her album ‘Folklore.’
- The caption: The video’s caption read, ‘I’m sure @Taylor Swift is going to be super excited we used her song!’ before fans noticed Friday evening that the audio had been muted.
- The takedown: The U.S. version of the video now shows a message reading, ‘The copyright owner hasn’t made this sound available in your country,’ pointing to action from Swift’s camp.
- Not the first time: A separate Team Trump video using Swift’s ‘Father Figure’ had its audio removed in November 2025, while clips featuring ‘Red’ and ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ remain untouched so far.
- The backstory: Tension between the two dates to 2024, when Trump shared AI-generated images falsely suggesting Swift endorsed him, after she publicly backed Kamala Harris for president.
What to Watch:
Neither Swift’s representatives nor the Trump campaign have commented on the removal.
Source: Variety
