After Beyonce, Jack White threatens to sue Trump’s ‘Fascists’ campaign over use of music
Jack White, lead singer of The White Stripes, condemned Trump’s campaign as "fascists" and threatened legal action after an aide allegedly used a clip of the band’s hit "Seven Nation Army" in a pro-Trump social media post.
Trump's use of music in campaign videos without permission is not a new issue; over the course of his three presidential runs, at least 29 artists have either requested that their songs not be used or claimed. (AP) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign has faced opposition from several major artists, urging him to stop using their music in his 2024 presidential campaign. On Thursday, Jack White of The White Stripes joined the growing list of musicians asking Trump not to use their songs, adding their voices to numerous other big-name artists and groups who have refused to let their music be associated with his campaign.
Jack White, lead singer of The White Stripes, condemned Trump’s campaign as “fascists” and threatened legal action after an aide allegedly used a clip of the band’s hit “Seven Nation Army” in a pro-Trump social media post.
Margo Martin, Trump’s deputy director of communications, shared a brief 10-second video of Trump boarding a plane for campaign events, with the song playing in the background. The use of the music infuriated White, making him the latest in a series of musicians to protest against their work being associated with Trump’s bid to reclaim the White House.
White took to Instagram, writing, “Don’t even think about using my music, you fascists. Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others). Have a great day at work today, Margo Martin.”
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This dispute follows a recent demand from Swedish band Abba for Trump to cease using their music after several of their songs and footage were featured at a campaign rally, The Guardian stated. Other prominent artists who have objected to Trump’s use of their work include Céline Dion, Beyoncé, Johnny Marr of The Smiths, the family of the late soul singer Isaac Hayes, and the estate of the late Irish pop star Sinéad O’Connor.
Trump’s use of music in campaign videos without permission is not a new issue; over the course of his three presidential runs, at least 29 artists have either requested that their songs not be used or claimed they were used without authorisation.
For his 2024 campaign, the controversy began with Beyoncé, who had previously allowed the Kamala Harris campaign to use her 2016 song “Freedom.” In response, a Trump campaign video surfaced featuring Trump disembarking from a plane with “Freedom” playing in the background. Beyoncé reportedly threatened to issue a cease-and-desist letter if the campaign continued to use her music.
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