News | Entertainment
1 Mar 2026 19:15
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
     28 Feb: Justin Trudeau's son approves of his romance with Katy Perry
     28 Feb: Lupita Nyong'o has "over 50" uterine fibroids
     28 Feb: Hilary Duff has admitted she "intentionally" gatecrashed the premiere of her "childhood nemesis" Lindsay Lohan's movie Freaky Friday
     28 Feb: Christian Bale appears to have confirmed he will join the cast of Heat 2
     28 Feb: Barbra Streisand has paid tribute to Jennifer Aniston following the actress' recent birthday and her growing relationship with Jim Curtis
     27 Feb: Drew Barrymore travels down "memory lane" when looking at pictures of herself from her 1990s heyday
     27 Feb: Cruz Beckham's 21st birthday celebrations have gone on for a week
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The Hurricanes have confirmed Brett Cameron has been ruled out for the rest of Super Rugby More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    It's been revealed UK supermarket giant Tesco, declined the Finance Minister's invitation for a meeting to discuss the issues in our grocery sector More...



     Today's News

    Golf:
    Married one weekend, becoming a New Zealand golf Open champion the next for Daniel Hillier 18:57

    Cricket:
    Black Caps coach Rob Walter has confessed he stuck to his book as his side's T20 World Cup future was up in the air 18:57

    International:
    Israel and US attack Iran live updates: Trump warns of 'never been seen before' force as Iran starts fresh wave of regional strikes 18:47

    Rugby League:
    Kalyn Ponga has steered the Newcastle Knights to a 28-18 NRL win over the Cowboys in the season opener in Las Vegas 18:37

    Law and Order:
    A Bali birthday and a mistaken murder: How shooting death of Melbourne father played out in court 18:17

    Education:
    'More than 100 children' dead in US and Israel strike on Iranian school, Iran says 17:47

    Rugby League:
    Newcastle are heading for a victory in the opening round of the NRL is Las Vegas 17:27

    International:
    Israel and US attack Iran, sparking retaliatory strikes. Here's what we know 17:17

    Dunedin:
    One person has now died following a crash last week in Middlemarch, north of Dunedin 16:57

    Motorsports:
    Shane van Gisbergen has dominated the closing stages of NASCAR's second division series race at the Circuit of the Americas 16:17


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd