2:04Robert Levon Been, Leah Shapiro, and Peter Hayes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club perform live on stage, Nov. 30, 2017, in Milan, Italy. Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images
The social media accounts of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have experienced significant changes in tone and style since President Donald Trump resumed office in January, drawing criticism from various artists and musicians.
On X, the department frequently shares mugshots of detained immigrants with their 1.7 million followers, mixed with memes and artwork that reflects classic Americana.
On July 1, the department shared an image of the late artist Thomas Kinkade’s painting “Morning Pledge,” showcasing a picturesque small-town American street at dawn, along with the caption “Protect the Homeland.”
Artist Thomas Kinkade discusses his work at the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations VIP Reception at Niche Lounge, Nov. 9, 2006, in New York City. Brad Barket/Getty Images
The Kinkade Family Foundation issued a response to the X post through a statement on their website.
"The use of his artwork was not authorized, and we have asked that DHS take down the post, and we are consulting with our legal counsel regarding our options," they stated. "At The Kinkade Family Foundation, we strongly disapprove of the sentiment conveyed in the post and the reprehensible actions that DHS continues to execute."
As of the time of publication, the post remains active.
In a later post that month, the department utilized a painting by contemporary artist Morgan Weistling — recognized for his Old West artworks — depicting early American settlers in a covered wagon, labeled as “New Life in a New Land.”
The department captioned it “Remember your Homeland’s Heritage.”
In a statement on his website, the artist expressed disapproval regarding the usage of his painting — which is correctly titled “A Prayer for a New Life” — stating that it was "used without my consent."
On Instagram, where the accounts for DHS, CBP, and ICE collectively boast over a million followers, there has been an emphasis on short video content. Since former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem took office as DHS secretary, the department has shared 167 Instagram reels in just seven months, exceeding the total posted by the Biden administration throughout the entire year of 2023.
The tone of the department’s Instagram posts contrasts sharply with its X posts, blending highly produced recruitment videos set to rock and rap music with humorous clips featuring popular “audios” from TikTok and Reels.
At least two of these videos had their music removed following complaints from the artists and brands responsible for the original creations.
Robert Levon Been, Leah Shapiro, and Peter Hayes of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club perform live on stage, Nov. 30, 2017, in Milan, Italy. Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images
In July, the department featured Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s rendition of the traditional folk song “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” in a video of Noem accompanying agents on an aerial patrol. The band released a statement on their Instagram criticizing the use of their song.
"It is clear that you do not respect Copyright Law and Artist Rights any more than you respect Habeas Corpus and Due Process rights, not to mention the separation of Church and State as outlined in the US Constitution." It further instructed the department to "go f… yourselves."
That music is no longer featured in the DHS video.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
