News | Entertainment
7 Feb 2026 14:24
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Donald Trump's administration has been slammed by the band Semisonic for using their hit song 'Closing Time' in a controversial deportation video shared on social media

    The White House and Border Patrol's official Instagram accounts posted a video showing agents searching undocumented immigrants before deportation, set to the group's 1998 track


    Their post was captioned with lyrics from the song, reading: "'You don't have to go home but you can't stay here' @borderpatrol."

    Minneapolis-based band Semisonic has now responded to the use of their music in a statement to DailyMail.com.

    They said: "We did not authorise or condone the White House's use of our song 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."

    The track was written by frontman Dan Wilson, 63, who has previously spoken about its meaning.

    In a 2018 interview with Billboard, the musician explained 'Closing Time' was partially inspired by the birth of his daughter, Coco.

    He said: "The guys wanted a new song to close our sets with. I thought 'Closing Time' would be a good title.

    "We had spent seven years of our lives at that point, four nights a week entertaining people. That was our life.

    Some bouncers yelling things, closing time coming, all that imagery - literally, that's how the song started.

    "And then when I was halfway done, I started realising the whole thing was a pun about being born, so I just made sure that the rest of the thing could ride with that double meaning. But nobody got the joke and I didn't bother to explain. I thought everyone would get it."

    Dan has continued a successful career in songwriting and co-wrote the Grammy Award-winning 2011 Adele track 'Someone Like You'.

    'Closing Time' became a major hit in the late 1990s, reaching number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and charting in the top 50 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     07 Feb: Diego Calva says Kate Moss became his personal PR at the Saint Laurent men's show
     07 Feb: Harry Styles is restocking his sex toy days after announcing his new album
     07 Feb: Meryl Streep has joked she's suffering "PTSD from wearing high heels for 16 weeks" while filming The Devi Wears Prada sequel
     07 Feb: Miss Piggy says Sabrina Carpenter was "very intimidated" by her on The Muppet Show
     07 Feb: Christian Bale "screamed like crazy" to release his "despair" during long make-up sessions for The Bride!
     07 Feb: Colin Farrell has joked his "hips don't lie" as he approaches his 50th birthday
     07 Feb: Channing Tatum has undergone surgery for a shoulder injury
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Black Ferns Sevens star Jorja Miller's joking she might pass more this weekend in Perth More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Progress at Moa Point in the capital following the sewage leak on Wednesday More...



     Today's News

    General:
    Winter Olympics 2026 quick guide: What to watch on Day 1, Saturday, February 7 14:17

    Golf:
    Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has carded a two-under 69 second round to be four under overall midway through the PGA Tour's Phoenix Open 14:07

    Entertainment:
    Diego Calva says Kate Moss became his personal PR at the Saint Laurent men's show 14:01

    Business:
    Progress at Moa Point in the capital following the sewage leak on Wednesday 13:47

    Entertainment:
    Harry Styles is restocking his sex toy days after announcing his new album 13:31

    Rugby:
    Black Ferns Sevens star Jorja Miller's joking she might pass more this weekend in Perth 13:27

    Soccer:
    The returning Sarpreet Singh is adamant the Phoenix can still surge into the A-League playoffs 13:27

    Law and Order:
    Nancy Guthrie may have been abducted in a 41-minute window, authorities say 13:27

    International:
    What is the AIN at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics? Why Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to compete in Italy 13:07

    Rugby League:
    A court spat over NRL player Zak Lomax could mean the Melbourne Storm end up with a hefty legal bill instead of the star winger 13:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd