The rock duo White Stripes has initiated a lawsuit against Donald Trump, accusing his campaign of unauthorized use of their iconic song “Seven Nation Army” in a promotional video. The legal dispute surfaced after the song, recognizable by its distinct riff, accompanied footage of Trump boarding a plane for campaign events in Michigan and Wisconsin. The video, shared by Trump staffer Margo McAtee on the social media platform X, was quickly removed, but not before catching the attention of Jack White, the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist.
Today: Jack White sues Trump for Seven Nation Army use https://t.co/yuZW52rAnL
Tonight: pic.twitter.com/yWEG55EwZc
— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas2) September 10, 2024
Expressing his disdain, Jack White took to Instagram to denounce the use of the track by the Trump campaign, labeling the action as fascistic and threatening legal action. His post starkly opposed Trump’s behavior and policies, particularly criticizing Trump’s remarks about veterans, urging military families to withdraw their support. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Manhattan, underscores the band’s firm opposition to Trump’s past and proposed policies, reflective of a broader sentiment among musicians who have repeatedly objected to Trump’s use of their music without permission.
After threatening legal action against “fascist” Donald Trump last month for using The White Stripes’ classic “Seven Nation Army” in social media campaign videos, Jack White has made good on his word.
Read more: https://t.co/7yqlsMbwM0 pic.twitter.com/upauMHokFF
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) September 9, 2024
This incident adds to a string of similar complaints from various artists and bands directed at Trump’s campaign. Just last week, a federal judge in Atlanta intervened in another music-related lawsuit involving Trump. The court ordered the cessation of the use of the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” by Trump and his campaign, following a legal challenge from the estate of Isaac Hayes Jr. However, the judge stopped short of mandating the removal of existing videos featuring the song.
Trump’s campaign has faced numerous calls from artists to stop using their works. ABBA, through their record label Universal Music, recently demanded that Trump cease using their songs and accompanying videos at his rallies, stating that no permission had been granted for such uses. Their hits like “The Winner Takes It All” and “Dancing Queen” had been featured at a rally, again illustrating the ongoing tension between artists’ rights and political campaign practices.
White Stripes sue Trump over the use of ‘Seven Nation Army’ riff in social media posthttps://t.co/05hLQqypsL pic.twitter.com/hqYVn4ACsp
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) September 10, 2024
The ongoing disputes highlight the complex interplay between copyright law and political expression, underscoring a persistent issue in U.S. campaigns where the cultural cachet of popular music clashes with the proprietary rights of artists. This series of legal challenges reflects a growing insistence by artists to control the use of their work, particularly in political contexts that they believe misrepresent their values or intentions.
Major Points:
- The White Stripes have filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump for unauthorized use of their song “Seven Nation Army” in a campaign video, alleging copyright infringement.
- Jack White publicly criticized the use of his music by Trump on Instagram, explicitly calling out the campaign for its actions and labeling them as fascistic.
- This lawsuit adds to a series of complaints from various artists against Trump’s campaign for using their music without permission, reflecting a broader issue of copyright disputes in political campaigns.
- A federal judge recently prohibited Trump’s campaign from using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” after a lawsuit by the estate of Isaac Hayes Jr., though the campaign is not required to remove existing videos with the song.
- ABBA, through Universal Music, demanded that Trump stop using their songs and videos at campaign events, stating no permission was granted for such uses.
Charles William III – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
