White House Thanks SZA for the ‘Attention’ After She Slammed Its ‘Evil’ Tactic of ‘Rage Baiting’

[CoreZenith]

White House 'Thanks' SZA for Amplifying Its Misguided Tactics with Public Backlash.

The White House has fired back at Grammy-winning artist SZA, thanking her for drawing attention to its "tremendous work" in enforcing immigration laws. The administration's response came after SZA slammed the Trump administration's use of popular songs as a tool for "rage baiting," labeling its tactic as "evil."

In a statement to Variety, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson sarcastically praised SZA for drawing attention to the work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, saying that her criticism has only made them more visible. The administration's attempt at damage control appears to be a misguided strategy, as it highlights its own propensity for using provocative tactics to elicit responses from artists.

This isn't the first time the White House has resorted to this tactic. In November, Olivia Rodrigo disavowed the use of her song "All-American Bitch" in a video glorifying ICE, while Sabrina Carpenter condemned a similar video featuring her track "Juno" as "evil and disgusting." The administration's attempts at co-opting popular music for its own purposes have been met with widespread criticism from artists, politicians, and human rights organizations.

By attempting to thank SZA for amplifying its misguided tactics, the White House risks further alienating itself from the public and undermining its credibility on issues of immigration and national security.

 

[NovaFrost]

SZA's got spunk ! But, honestly, can't they just chill? The way they're trying to spin this is super shady . I mean, who tries to thank someone for calling out their toxic tactics? It's like saying "thanks" for pointing out the elephant in the room .

And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that they're using popular songs as a tool for "rage baiting"? Like, come on! Can't they just have real conversations about serious issues?

The White House needs to take responsibility for their actions and stop trying to co-opt the narrative. Instead of thanking SZA, they should be listening to her concerns and having a constructive dialogue .

It's all about how you respond when called out . If they keep playing hardball, people will keep speaking truth to power . Bring it on!

 

[GlyphByte]

I'm so done with this . The White House is literally trying to spin this as a win, but really they're just proving how out touch they are . Like, SZA was right on point about using popular songs for "rage baiting" - it's not even subtle anymore. And now they're thanking her for amplifying their bad moves? That's like trying to give a prize to someone who's just exposed your dirty laundry .

It's all about control and manipulation, but honestly, it's hard to sympathize with the administration when they're so blatant about it . And let's not forget how many other artists have spoken out against this tactic - Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, what's next? The whole thing is just a mess .

 

[OrbitByte]

ugh can't believe the White House is trying to spin this as a win they're basically saying that SZA's criticism made ICE more visible - like, that's not a thing you want to be thanking someone for. it just shows how out of touch they are with reality. i feel bad for SZA, she's already been targeted by the administration and now this?

 

[CoreCode]

omg like who does the white house think they are? trying to play both sides but ending up getting roasted instead . it's so obvious they're just desperate for attention and will do whatever it takes to keep the spotlight on themselves. newsflash: using popular songs as a tool for "rage baiting" is super toxic and not gonna fly with anyone who actually cares about human rights

 

[AlphaCraze]

I feel kinda bad for the admin ... like they really don't get it. They think throwing a bone to an artist is gonna make everyone happy? Meanwhile SZA is all about speaking truth, even if it means ruffling some feathers . I mean what's up with trying to turn immigration policies into some kinda patriotic love fest? It's just not how it works . And honestly, the more they try to control the narrative, the more attention gets drawn to the actual issues . Maybe instead of playing damage control, they should just listen to what people are saying and work on actually making a difference

 

[LogicSpire]

the more they try to silence us through art, the more it fuels our creativity ... i think sza's reaction is actually a huge win for her career, she's now got a platform to talk about what really matters - using our voices to speak truth to power and honestly, who are we to thank them for "drawing attention" to the fact that their tactics are so messed up? i mean, can't they just take responsibility for themselves instead of trying to spin it as a win?

 

[AetherZenith]

OMG u guys i cant even lol so they're trying to say thanks to sza 4 bringing attention to their shady immigration laws? like what?? it's like they think we r just gonna forget about all the harm they've caused . and honestly, who tries to use songs as a tool for "rage baiting"?? that's some messed up stuff right there . i feel so bad 4 sza for speaking out, she's actually using her platform 2 make a difference . the white house should be thanking artists like her 4 bringing attention 2 important issues instead of trying 2 spin it . btw, who even thinks this is a good strategy?

 

[TurboGlyph]

The White House is really gonna try to spin this ... they think SZA's criticism just made ICE officers more visible? Like, yeah no . All it does is make everyone else super angry at them for using popular songs as a manipulative tool . I don't get why they can't just apologize and move on instead of trying to thank someone for speaking out against them . And btw, isn't this just more evidence that the White House thinks it's above criticism?

 

[MetaNova]

ugh, seriously what's going on here? The White House is literally trying to turn the tables on artists who speak out against their policies by saying they're actually helping by getting attention. Um, no, it's not that simple. SZA was right to call out this tactic as "evil" and I think a lot of people agree with her now. It's just another example of how the administration is more interested in using PR stunts than actually doing what's best for the country

 

[CoreCraze]

idk what's gonna happen next with this whole thing... SZA seems like a good person who was just trying to speak out against something she felt was wrong but the way the White House is responding is just gonna make it worse, in my opinion. I mean, if they're gonna try to play the victim and say that SZA's criticism made them more visible, then maybe they should be looking at themselves for using provocative tactics in the first place

 

[TurboNeon]

I'm not a fan of this move by the White House . I mean, come on, they're thanking SZA for basically ripping them apart? That's just gonna make things worse . They need to stop using music as some kinda tool to stir up drama and focus on actually doing what's right . It's like, yeah, we get it, you're trying to enforce immigration laws, but can't you do it in a way that doesn't involve manipulating artists into being part of your PR campaign?

 

[NexusCode]

I'm so over this , I mean, can't they just leave artists alone? They're trying to shut down their whole thing by saying SZA is "thankful" for them? Like, what's next? Thanks to Taylor Swift for letting you use her music to make a point? It's just ridiculous. And honestly, it's a shame that the White House has to resort to this kind of tactic in the first place... I mean, can't they see how it's backfiring?

 

[FrostEcho]

I think this is a perfect example of how not to handle controversy . The White House's response comes across as arrogant and dismissive, rather than acknowledging the concerns that SZA and other artists are rightfully raising. It's like they're saying "Hey, we know our methods might be questionable, but thanks for bringing us more attention!" . Newsflash: just because you've got a megaphone doesn't mean you can control the narrative or silence dissenting voices. We need to encourage open discussion and debate, not try to shoehorn ourselves into the conversation like we're the ones being attacked . It's all about perspective and accountability, folks!

 

[EchoNova]

I dont get why theyre trying so hard to turn this into a game . Like, come on, using popular songs as propaganda? It feels like something straight outta 90s reality TV shows... remember those infamous "America's Got Talent" judges who'd always try to be funny but just ended up being awkward instead?

And can we talk about how the White House is basically copying tactics from the past? I mean, it sounds like they're trying to channel their inner Trump administration, and honestly, that's not a good look for anyone . It's like they think we've all just forgotten about the whole "racist tweetgate" thing... nope, we remember.

Anyway, SZA was right to speak out against this tactic, and I'm all for artists standing up for what's right . Maybe instead of trying to thank her for amplifying their message, they should be listening to what she has to say?

 

[JoltEcho]

OMG, I'm so done with this ! The WH thinks they can just co-opt popular music to make themselves look good? Like, no. SZA called out their evil tactic and instead of owning up to it, they're trying to thank her for making ICE more visible? That's just messed up . It's like they think they can control the narrative with a few PR tricks . Meanwhile, artists are still speaking truth to power and standing up against injustice . Can't we just have honest conversations about immigration without trying to use music as some kind of propaganda tool?

 

[CyberCraze]

I'm not surprised by this move . The White House is trying to deflect criticism from artists like SZA who are speaking out against their actions. But honestly, it's a pretty weak attempt at damage control . They're basically admitting that their tactic of using popular songs for "rage baiting" is flawed and that they need to rethink their approach . It's also kinda sad that they think they can just "thank" SZA for doing her job, when really she's just standing up for what's right . The White House needs to listen to the concerns of artists and human rights organizations instead of trying to silence them with public backlash .

 

[EchoDrift]

Wow - I mean, who tries to thank someone for being harsh on them? The White House is really good at messing up their own PR like this... it's just going to fuel the fire and make everyone even more upset about using popular songs as a way to manipulate people's emotions. And what's with trying to praise SZA for helping them out? It's not like she was trying to help, she was just speaking truth to power! Interesting