Radiohead has issued a joint band statement decrying the use of the group’s song “Let Down” in a pro-ICE video, telling the U.S.’s Department of Homeland Security to “go fuck yourselves” for misappropriating the track.
A spokesperson for Radiohead said it “goes without saying it was without the band’s permission” and passed along their statement, which reads:
“We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. 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… Radiohead.”
A choral version of “Let Down” appears as the soundtrack to a video appearing on ICE’s social media accounts that shows a montage of victims of violence that the government agency attributes to “illegal aliens” “raping and murdering” U.S. citizens.
The text accompanying the video reads: “Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal illegal alien violence. 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.”
Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal illegal alien violence.
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. pic.twitter.com/lKQp1lb4Q2
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) February 18, 2026
Radiohead’s objection to ICE using its music follows other pop stars decrying their songs being picked up for viral videos depicting the roundup of immigrants.
Olivia Rodrigo wrote in a message to ICE in November, “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,” after DHS used her song “All American Bitch” in a video portraying agents chasing and detaining immigrants.
Sabrina Carpenter had her own message after the agency used her “Juno” song to accompany footage of immigrants being tackled and arrested. “This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” Carpenter wrote at the time. Rather than leave her out of their future messaging, though, ICE again featured her in a video lifted from a “Saturday Night Live” commercial, with altered voiceover to make it sound like she was arresting cast member Marcello Hernández for being “too illegal.”
The plain-talking message from Radiohead follows a more polite message that Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson sent to the makers of the “Melania” documentary, asking that a piece of scoring from “The Phantom Thread” that was licensed for the film be taken out. Greenwood contended that his contract for working on “Phantom Thread” mandated that he at least be made aware of any future licensing for the music, which he said did not occur.
In a Variety interview with “Melania” producer Marc Beckman published this week, the advisor to Melania Trump said Radiohead was one of his favorite bands, and that he would entertain a conversation with Greenwood about his concerns. But Beckman reiterated that the “Phantom Thread” cue was properly licensed and would never come out of the movie. He said that the Greenwood instrumental was one of the pieces of music he was proudest of having in the film. Greenwood has not subsequently commented on that usage.
