A significant social media storm has erupted following the White House’s controversial use of the popular Jet2 Holidays viral song in a video promoting immigrant deportations. Both singer Jess Glynne, whose voice features prominently in the jingle, and actress Zoe Lister have vehemently condemned the administration’s appropriation of the light-hearted tune for such a stark political message, sparking widespread social media outrage.
The contentious video, posted on the official government X account of the President, juxtaposed the upbeat Jet2 jingle with disturbing footage of individuals in handcuffs being escorted onto ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) deportation flights. The post, which quickly garnered over 11.5 million views, was explicitly captioned: ‘When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!’
This provocative use of the audio contrasts sharply with the original spirit of the Jet2 viral trend, which has seen immense popularity across social media. Users worldwide, including Hollywood star Jeff Goldblum, embraced the trend by creating their own humorous clips set to the catchy audio, turning it into a symbol of summer fun and light-hearted escapism.
Jess Glynne, the renowned singer behind the Jet2 Holidays advertisement, wasted no time in expressing her deep outrage. Taking to her Instagram Stories, Glynne shared her dismay and condemnation of the White House’s decision to involve itself in a playful cultural phenomenon with such a grim and insensitive twist.
Echoing Glynne’s sentiments, voice actress Zoe Lister, who also features in the viral advert, similarly voiced her disapproval on Instagram. She posted a picture questioning, ‘What can be done about @whitehouse using @jet2pics sound and my voiceover to promote their nasty agenda?’, highlighting the artists’ strong objection to their work being used for political propaganda.
Further exacerbating the controversy, the White House video depicted immigration officers forcibly removing people from vans and parading them onto planes bound for foreign countries. It also included a screenshot of the US government app CBP Home, which facilitates self-deportation for migrants, concluding with a smirking Donald Trump giving a thumbs-up, signaling the video’s clear political agenda.
This explicit promotion aligns with ICE’s stated aim of conducting 3,000 arrests of immigrants in the US per day, positioning the video as a direct endorsement of the former President’s stringent migration strategy. The bold and unapologetic nature of the post has ignited heated debates about the ethics of using popular culture to disseminate contentious political messages.
Ironically, this political furor coincides with a period of renewed celebration for the Jet2 Holidays jingle, with Jess Glynne and Zoe Lister recently meeting in person to mark its viral success. Glynne expressed genuine surprise and gratitude for the song’s widespread interest, reiterating the original joyous intent behind the popular advertisement.
The incident underscores the potent intersection of pop culture and politics, demonstrating how quickly a seemingly innocuous trend can be co-opted for highly charged messaging, leading to significant public and artistic backlash against such blatant politicization.
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