Neil Young sues Donald Trump for $10 million over unauthorized use of "Rockin' in the Free World"
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Neil Young has launched a $10 million copyright suit against President Donald J. Trump, saying his anthem was exploited at political rallies without a valid license and turned into a prop for empty campaign theater.
Neil Young has filed a federal lawsuit seeking $10 million in damages from President Donald J. Trump for alleged copyright infringement. The complaint says Trump’s campaign used Young’s 1989 song “Rockin’ in the Free World” at rallies in 2015, 2020 and most recently on Oct. 12 in Youngstown, Ohio, without getting the license required by law.
According to the filing, the song’s lyrics speak to social hardship and neglect, themes Young says stand in sharp contrast to the political messaging pushed at the events. The complaint says the campaign knew a license was required and that Young had already refused permission.
“Rockin’ in the Free World is a blistering anthem that contrasts the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the homeless and forgotten,” the lawsuit reads.
The suit also notes that an earlier claim against “Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.” was settled after the organization promised not to use the song without permission. Trump has not responded publicly to the new filing.
Legal experts say the case will turn on whether the campaign’s use of the song qualifies as a public performance that requires a license under U.S. copyright law.