Radiohead has publicly condemned the use of its song “Let Down” in a recent social media video posted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), demanding the agency remove the content and issuing a direct rebuke to the Trump administration. The band’s statement, released Friday, February 27, 2026, accuses ICE of “appropriating” the song without permission and characterizes the agency’s actions as “not funny.”
“We demand that the amateurs in control of the I.C.E. Social media account grab it down,” the band said in its statement. “It ain’t funny. This song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight. Also, go fuck yourselves.”
The ICE video, which appeared on the agency’s X account on February 18, features a choral rendition of “Let Down” overlaid with images of individuals described by the agency as victims of violence perpetrated by undocumented immigrants. The accompanying caption reads, “American citizens raped and murdered by those who have no right to be in our country. This is who we fight for. This is our why.” The video was also shared on accounts belonging to the Department of Homeland Security, the White House, and President Donald Trump, according to Rolling Stone.
“Let Down,” released in 1997 on Radiohead’s critically acclaimed album OK Computer, has seen a resurgence in popularity, recently debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on August 30, 2025 – 28 years after its initial release. The song has been streamed over 690 million times on Spotify.
This incident marks the second recent instance of Radiohead members challenging the unauthorized use of their function. Earlier this month, guitarist Jonny Greenwood requested the removal of a portion of his score from the 2017 film Phantom Thread from a documentary about Melania Trump. Greenwood stated that Universal failed to consult him regarding the usage, a breach of his composer agreement.
The Trump administration has repeatedly faced criticism for utilizing artists’ music in campaign and promotional materials without their consent. Artists including Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, and SZA have previously condemned the use of their songs in videos associated with the government’s immigration policies, as reported by Billboard.
As of Friday afternoon, the Department of Homeland Security had not responded to requests for comment regarding Radiohead’s demand. The ICE video remains posted on the agency’s social media accounts.
