Veteran rocker Neil Young is suing US President Donald Trump over unauthorized usage of his music despite the singer’s past public objections.
After repeatedly objecting to his music being used at Donald Trump’s political rallies, Neil Young is suing the US President for “willful copyright infringement.” This comes only days after Young’s open letter, where he said he was ‘reconsidering‘ suing Trump following the recent unrest in Portland, Oregon.
The unsigned lawsuit, posted online, states that Young “in good conscience cannot allow his music to be used as a “theme song” for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”
The lawsuit specifically mentions ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ and ‘Devil’s Sidewalk’, stating that the Trump campaign has played both for the “entertainment and amusement” of the attendees at his rallies.
Specifically referring to the rally earlier this year in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the document states that the Trump campaign “did not have the license or Plaintiff’s permission to play the two songs at any public political event.”
Young is now seeking “statutory damages in the maximum amount allowed for willful copyright infringement.”
Last month’s open letter was not the first time Neil Young had objected to Trump using his music. In 2015, he chastised Trump for playing ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ while announcing his run for President. In another letter in 2018, Young again criticized Trump for using his music despite his requests.
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In his open letter in July earlier this year, Young called Trump out for “the way he plays citizens against one another for his own political gain.” He also mentioned Trump’s lacking response to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across America.
“Imagine what it feels like to hear ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ after this president speaks, like it is his theme song. I did not write it for that.” the letter said.
Check out Neil Young’s ‘Lookin’ For A Leader’ below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUT4oU5Ljb0
