White House fires back after Noah Kahan says he’d ‘never approve’ Trump administration using his music - Entertainment Weekly

What the report says

Entertainment Weekly reported that singer-songwriter Noah Kahan objected after the Trump administration used his song “American Cars” in material promoting President Donald Trump’s recent visit to a General Motors facility. According to the available snippet, Kahan said he would “never approve” the administration’s use of his music, and EW framed the episode as drawing a response from the White House.

The publicly available evidence does not include the full article text or the substance of the White House’s reply, so the specific arguments made by the administration, the platform where the song appeared, and the timing and location of the GM visit are not confirmed here. The core development is that Kahan joined a list of musicians who have publicly challenged or criticized political use of their songs when they say permission was not granted.

The dispute matters because music can help shape the tone and message of political promotion, while artists often seek to avoid the appearance of endorsing a candidate, administration or policy. In the United States, campaigns and political groups may rely on venue, platform or performance-rights licenses in some settings, but artists can still raise objections based on endorsement, branding or other legal and reputational concerns.

Based on EW’s snippet, the disagreement centers on “American Cars” being associated with a Trump administration promotional moment tied to a GM facility visit. Further details would require the full EW report or statements from Kahan, the White House, or relevant rights holders.