Neil Young Files Second Copyright Suit Against Trump Coalition
The musician seeks $10 million in damages, arguing the coalition broke a 2020 settlement pledge regarding the use of his song at a recent rally.
By Benjamin Rousseau ·
The Trump 47 Coalition now faces a new copyright claim in federal court. The lawsuit targets the organization's use of Neil Young's song "Rockin' in the Free World" at a recent political event.
Young's legal team filed the complaint on Monday, seeking $10 million in damages. The filing argues that the coalition used the track without a license, a practice Young alleges violates their previous agreement.
The suit describes the song as a "blistering anthem" that contrasts political rhetoric with the realities of poverty. It characterizes the lyrics as street-level portraits of hardship, including a mother discarding her baby and addicts lost in despair. The document states that the repeated chorus delivers "savage irony" about freedom. Young's team concluded that the song is "the opposite of everything that Donald J. Trump stands for."
This is the second time Young has sued a Trump-affiliated group over this specific track. In 2020, he filed a similar suit against the Donald J. Trump for President committee. The new filing notes that the previous group settled shortly after being served. It further claims they promised never to use the song without permission again.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new filing. The dispute fits into a wider pattern of friction between the administration and musicians. Trump has had public disagreements with artists including Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Sabrina Carpenter, and Olivia Rodrigo.
Young, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, expressed concern last year that he might be barred from returning to the U.S. during a European tour. The current lawsuit marks his latest legal move to enforce his copyright rights against the president's political operations.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
