Neil Young files second copyright lawsuit against Trump fundraising committee
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Neil Young alleges the Trump 47 Committee used his 1989 song "Rockin’ in the Free World" at a Ohio rally without a license and is seeking $10 million in damages.
Canadian musician Neil Young has filed a new copyright infringement lawsuit against the Trump 47 Committee, the political fundraising arm of U.S. President Donald Trump. The complaint, filed in a Virginia federal court, says the committee played Young’s 1989 track "Rockin’ in the Free World" at a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Oct. 12 without obtaining a proper license.
"On information and belief, the committee has caused the song to be played numerous times at other rallies designed to encourage Republican votes in the upcoming mid-term elections," the filing states.
The suit claims the song’s use misrepresents Young’s views and seeks $10 million in damages. It notes that the song was recently recognized by Rolling Stone as Vintage Rock Song of 2026 and has been performed live by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl and Dave Matthews.
This is Young’s second lawsuit over the same issue. In 2020 he sued Trump’s re-election campaign for using "Rockin’ in the Free World" and "Devil’s Sidewalk" without permission; that case was settled with the campaign agreeing not to play the songs at future events.
Young, who has been an outspoken critic of President Trump, also released a protest song titled "Big Crime" in 2025, targeting the administration’s policies. The filing argues that repeated use of his music at Trump rallies could damage his reputation by implying support for the president’s agenda.
Other musicians, including Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift, have previously objected to the use of their songs by Trump-related campaigns, citing similar concerns over unauthorized usage.