A couple of days ago, the President of the United States posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social that depicted him flying over the “No Kings” protests that swept the country this weekend and dropping what sure looks a whole helluva lot like poop onto protesters. The video included Kenny Loggins’ classic tune “Danger Zone,” as featured in Top Gun. Now that Loggins has caught wind of the video, he’s made it known that he’s not a fan.
“This is an unauthorized use of my performance of ‘Danger Zone.’ Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately,” the singer told NPR.
Loggins went on: “I can’t imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us. Too many people are trying to tear us apart, and we need to find new ways to come together. We’re all Americans, and we’re all patriotic. There is no ‘us and them’ – that’s not who we are, nor is it what we should be. It’s all of us. We’re in this together, and it is my hope that we can embrace music as a way of celebrating and uniting each and every one of us.”
The video in question was shared as millions of Americans took to the streets to peacefully protest Trump’s policies.
What is Trump dumping on protesters in the video that he shared? NPR has referred to it as “sludgy brown material.” The Guardian also called it “sludge.” 404 Media has opted to call a spade a spade and declared: “It’s poop, ok? It’s shit. It’s diarrhea, and in reposting it, it’s clear enough to me that Trump is fantasizing about doing a carpet-bomb dookie on the people he put his hand on a bible and swore to serve nine months ago.” Politico has also been more direct, referring to it as a “poop-bombing” video. Whatever it is, it sure is gross, and the legendary singer of “Danger Zone” wants no part of it.
This is only the latest example of the Trump administration using media sourced from artists and celebrities, only to have those artists and celebrities complain and ask that they please be excluded (just last month, comedian Theo Von asked the Department of Homeland Security to take a clip of him out of a pro-deportation video it had posted online), and Loggins is only the latest in a long line of musicians who have asked Trump to stop using their music (that list reportedly includes ABBA, The Rolling Stones, The Village People, and many others).
Mr. Loggins did not immediately return our request for comment.
The White House, however, did reply to our request for comment. Its reply was a screenshot from Top Gun with meme text superimposed over it that says “I FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED,” which is a paraphrase of a famous quote from the movie.
