White House doubles down on Trump “No Kings” feces-bomber video, uses “Top Gun” meme after Kenny Loggins complaint

The White House again turned to memetic tactics on Monday, Oct. 20, after responding to Kenny Loggins’ request to remove an unauthorized use of his signature song. The singer publicly demanded that his recorded performance not be used in a recently circulated AI-generated clip.

In an Instagram post, Loggins insisted his recording be removed and said he was never approached for permission — which, he wrote, he would have declined. “I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately,” he wrote, adding that he could not fathom wanting his music tied to content designed to divide people.

The disputed clip, published Oct. 18, features an AI-generated depiction of former President Trump wearing a crown and piloting a fighter jet labeled “King Trump,” then dispersing what appears to be human waste over protesters at the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations. Loggins characterized the usage as wholly unauthorized.

When Entertainment Weekly sought comment from the White House about Loggins’ plea, a spokesperson replied with a Top Gun–themed image — a meme showing Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards with the phrase “I Feel the Need For Speed” superimposed.

Organizers of the No Kings events reported that the day of action included roughly 2,600 gatherings across nearly every state and estimated attendance of more than seven million people, making it among the largest protest movements in recent U.S. history.

This episode is part of a broader pattern of artists objecting to the use of their music in political or satirical material without consent. Over the years, performers and rights holders — from Adele, Beyoncé and Celine Dion to Neil Young, the Rolling Stones and many others — have publicly disavowed the unauthorized use of their songs in campaign videos, rally montages and AI-generated clips associated with the administration.

Loggins’ statement adds to mounting industry concerns about how artificial intelligence is being used to create politically charged content that leverages copyrighted recordings without authorization. Artists and their representatives continue to push back, asserting control over how their work is licensed and associated with public figures or political messages.

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