’90s rock band Semisonic has strongly condemned the Trump administration for using their hit song “Closing Time” in a White House promotional video that the band argues misses “the point entirely.” In a statement Monday, Semisonic pushed back against a 16-second video posted earlier in the day on the White House’s official Instagram account.
The clip features a man being patted down while handcuffed as the song plays in the background: “Closing time, you don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” A second shot in the montage appeared to show people climbing stairs to an airplane while the words “BORDER PATROL” were prominently displayed, seemingly depicting a deportation scene.
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The Minneapolis-based rock band quickly responded Monday, denouncing the use of their 1998 hit in connection with President Donald Trump’s efforts to implement what the administration is calling “the largest mass deportation campaign in U.S. history.”
“We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song ‘Closing Time’ in any way,” Semisonic said in a statement posted to X. “And no, they didn’t ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.”
When asked about the song during Monday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s messaging efforts. “The administration is unafraid to message effectively what the president is doing on a daily basis to make our communities safer,” Leavitt said.
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Referring directly to the video, she added, “The specific video you reference, I think it sums up our immigration policy pretty well. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.” Semisonic recently marked the 27th anniversary of “Closing Time” with a celebratory post on social media.
“We can’t believe it’s been 27 years since we released ‘Closing Time,’ a song that forever changed our lives. Endless thanks to the amazing souls who brought this record to life and stood by us every step of the way!” the band wrote on March 10. Despite the controversy, the White House has not indicated whether it will remove the video or cease using the song in future messaging.
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