Singer Jess Glynne calls White House deportation video ‘sick’

British singer Jess Glynne has expressed her disgust after the White House used a viral meme featuring her song Hold My Hand in a video promoting deportations.

The clip, posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the White House on Wednesday, showed handcuffed individuals being escorted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) onto a GlobalX flight.

The video controversially overlaid audio from the popular Jet2holidays advert, which includes Glynne’s 2015 hit and a cheerful voiceover stating, “nothing beats a Jet2 holiday.” The White House captioned the post: “When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!”

Jess Glynne quickly responded on Instagram, stating: “This post honestly makes me sick. My music is about love, unity and spreading positivity – never about division or hate.”

Zoe Lister, the voiceover artist for the original Jet2 advert, also condemned the White House’s use of her voice. She told the BBC she would “never condone my voiceover being used” to promote what she called “Trump and his abhorrent policies.”

Lister added, “The Jet2 meme has spread a lot of joy and humour around the world but the White House video shows that Trump has neither.”

The White House’s post has drawn widespread criticism online, with many users branding it “embarrassing and unprofessional” and showing “a real lack of humanity.” However, some have praised the administration’s stance on immigration.

This incident is not the first time the Trump administration has employed viral memes or controversial imagery on its social media accounts to promote its policies.