On the morning of Donald Trump’s historically lengthy State of the Union speech, the White House shared a mashup video featuring clips from various popular movies and TV shows, soundtracked by the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
The latest pop culture meme-seeking clip from the Trump administration appeared to be an effort to generate excitement for Tuesday’s (Feb. 24) 107-minute speech, highlighting the chief executive’s well-documented fascination with all things golden and his repeated claims that the nation is in or entering a historically victorious period. “WINNING IS BACK. America IS BACK. AND WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED [eagle emoji],” read the caption of the 30-second clip. “THE GOLDEN AGE IS HERE,” it added, previewing the gilded two-word catchphrase Trump would use in that night’s speech.
At press time, it was unclear if the administration had obtained clearance to use “Golden” in the video, and spokespeople for the White House and fictional group HUNTR/X’s member EJAE (born Kim Eun-jae)—one of the co-songwriters on the track—had not responded to Billboard‘s request for comment. The song from the most-streamed movie in Netflix history topped the Hot 100 for eight weeks last year, as well as spending 18 weeks atop the Billboard Global 200 and a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
While campaigns often use songs at rallies or in social posts without first obtaining explicit permission from songwriters or rights holders, it is frequently challenging to get them to retract or remove unauthorized material.
The energizing montage begins with a scene from Seinfeld where Steve Hytner’s Kenny Bania famously says “that’s gold Jerry!,” followed by clips from Dazed and Confused, The Office, Kevin Costner’s The Postman, Jim Carrey’s Bruce Almighty, Eastbound and Down, The Waterboy, and Modern Family, among others, concluding with Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore line “you like that baby? There’s more where that came from!”
Apart from promoting Trump’s favored precious metal and delivering a generally upbeat message, it was unclear what policy or initiative the video was advocating, or if the Trump team had secured clearance to use the movie and TV clips from their rights holders.
The clip aligned with the Trump administration’s meme-heavy communications strategy, which has often included social media posts mocking perceived enemies as well as posts featuring popular, often chart-topping copyrighted material without seeking permission. In December, this strategy led to sharp criticism from Sabrina Carpenter when ICE used her song “Juno” in a post promoting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. After the post went viral, the White House later deleted it without explanation after Carpenter labeled it “evil and disgusting” and stated “do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
It was just another example of numerous musicians who’ve criticized the Trump administration for using their music without permission, including Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, The White Stripes, Céline Dion, Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses, R.E.M., Neil Young, the Prince estate, The Rolling Stones, and many others.
Earlier this week, Isaac Hayes’ estate reached a confidential settlement with Trump to conclude copyright litigation over the allegedly unauthorized use of the 1966 song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” at his 2024 election rallies; financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
“This resolution represents more than just concluding a legal matter,” stated Hayes’ son and estate manager music producer Isaac Hayes III in a statement. “It reaffirms the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and copyrights, especially concerning legacy, ownership, and responsible use of creative works.”
