News | Entertainment
27 Feb 2026 3:21
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
     26 Feb: Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault
     26 Feb: BAFTA judge Jonte Richardson has resigned following the racial slur row which overshadowed Sunday night's (22.02.26) ceremony
     26 Feb: Kerry Katona will "100 per cent get married" to her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione
     26 Feb: Frankie Bridge was "terrified" of starting ketamine therapy because she had never taken drugs before
     26 Feb: Hilary Duff's "heart aches" for her former Lizzie McGuire co-star Robert Carradine
     26 Feb: Zachery Ty Bryan has been sentenced to 16 months in prison over a DUI arrest
     26 Feb: AJ Styles will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame over WrestleMania weekend
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Tyrel Lomax is closing in on a return to top level rugby after five months sidelined More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Air New Zealand's dismissing David Seymour's claims its financial strife is down to 'woke' endeavours More...



     Today's News

    Rugby:
    Tyrel Lomax is closing in on a return to top level rugby after five months sidelined 21:57

    Entertainment:
    Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault 21:51

    Entertainment:
    BAFTA judge Jonte Richardson has resigned following the racial slur row which overshadowed Sunday night's (22.02.26) ceremony 21:21

    Law and Order:
    A person has died in hospital following a major incident in Christchurch's Northcote last Wednesday 21:17

    Law and Order:
    Pro-democracy Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai's fraud offence overturned 21:07

    International:
    New image taken by ALMA telescope reveals 'extraordinary' detail of Milky Way's central zone 20:57

    Entertainment:
    Kerry Katona will "100 per cent get married" to her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione 20:51

    International:
    Cuba claims 'armed terrorist infiltration' prevented during open water speedboat shootout 20:37

    Entertainment:
    Frankie Bridge was "terrified" of starting ketamine therapy because she had never taken drugs before 20:21

    Entertainment:
    Hilary Duff's "heart aches" for her former Lizzie McGuire co-star Robert Carradine 19:51


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd