The Trump administration caused a great deal of outrage on Monday when it released a video showcasing the deportation of hundreds of illegal immigrants with ties to the violent Tren de Aragua gang. El Salvador, as part of its alliance with the United States, agreed to take them into CECOT, a prison built specifically to house gang members.

In a stunning yet somehow not surprising move, the press rushed to the defense of the deportees, claiming they were not given due process. A judge also stepped in at the last minute to stop the deportations, though the White House claims his order arrived too late. 

ALSO SEE: White House Drops Awesome Deportation Video

Trump truly has a gift for getting his political opponents to defend the worst things, doesn't he? But it wasn't just the visual content of the video that caused controversy. The band "Semisonic" blasted the Trump administration for using its song "Closing Time" as a musical overlay. 

We did not authorize or condone the White House’s use of our song “Closing Time" in any way. And no, they didn’t ask. The song is about joy and possibilities and hope, and they have missed the point entirely.

— Semisonic (@SemisonicBand) March 17, 2025

Oh, good. And here I was, deeply concerned about whether a one-hit-wonder from the late 1990s was being misused. Now, I can sleep easy knowing "Semisonic" does not approve of its usage to highlight violent gang members being booted out of the country. Crisis hereby averted. 

Of course, one might argue that getting rid of Tren de Aragua, which was inexcusably allowed to flow into the United States under the Biden administration, does bring about "joy and possibilities and hope." It certainly does for those they have terrorized.

I had to laugh when I saw so many people on social media asking who "Semisonic" are. I forget how old I'm getting at times but for the unacquainted, "Closing Time" became the official class song of almost every graduating high school class of the 2000s. It was also a mainstay for bar owners who wanted to send a signal to their drunk patrons at 3 AM that it was time to head home. 

Back to the question of legality, though, the White House likely didn't need permission to use the song. Typically, music is licensed through giant conglomerates where purchasing a membership gives access to their entire catalog for commercial use. We've seen bands and artists lash out before at Donald Trump for playing their music at rallies, but you'll notice that no legal action is ever taken. That's because they can't. The White House almost certainly had the license to use "Closing Time," so all the complaining over its use is just that. It's idle complaining. 

Honestly, "Semisonic" should be thanking Trump. Very few people remembered they existed until yesterday, and as they say, all press is good press.

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