Semisonic slam The White House for use of Closing Time single in deportation video

18 March 2025, 17:28 | Updated: 18 March 2025, 17:30

Semisonic's Dan Wilson, the band in 1996 and US President Donald Trump. Picture: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images, Paul Natkin/Getty Images , Carl Court - Pool/Getty Images

By Jenny Mensah

The US band have hit out at Trump's administration for the use of their 1998 single in a video.

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Semisonic has hit out at the The White House after they shared a video of their deportation policy in action alongside the band's Closing Time anthem.

The 1998 single, which was often played to signify the end of a club nights or last orders at pubs and bars throughout the era, has been set against the backdrop of men being chained and sent on flights by border patrol.

The striking visuals come alongside the caption: "You don't have to go home but you can't stay here," which references a line in the song.

Watch it below:

🎶You don't have to go home but you can't stay here🎶 @CBP pic.twitter.com/yWWhlvKQrb
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the video has garnered mixed responses on X, with some calling it "disgusting" and others praising the video.

However, the Minneapolis-formed outfit - comprised of frontman Dan Wilson, John Munson and Jacob Slichter - have not seen the funny side, condemning the video and making sure their followers knew that they never gave Trump's administration the permission to use it.

The trio, who are also known for their Secret Smile hit, responded in a post, which read: "We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song “Closing Time" in any way. And no, they didn’t ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely."

We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song “Closing Time" in any way. And no, they didn’t ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.
— Semisonic (@SemisonicBand) March 17, 2025

Semisonic join a long line of artists to condemn the Trump administration for the use of their music, with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Linkin Park, Celine Dion, Beyonce and Neil Young all taking umbrage with the US President over the years.

Most recently The White Stripes reunited in order to file a suit against Trump's 2024 presidential campaign "for the flagrant misappropriation of the musical composition and sound recording Seven Nation Army," although it was dropped soon after.

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