Current:Home > StocksJack White threatens to sue over Trump campaign staffer's use of White Stripes song -Keystone Capital Education
Jack White threatens to sue over Trump campaign staffer's use of White Stripes song
View
Date:2025-04-18 21:32:01
Another musician is objecting to the Trump campaign's use of their work.
Jack White on Thursday threatened legal action against former President Donald Trump's team after the deputy director of communications for his 2024 presidential campaign allegedly posted a video of Trump boarding a plane to the tune of The White Stripes' iconic 2003 track "Seven Nation Army." The video, which White posted a screen recording of on Instagram, appears to have been taken down.
"President @realDonaldTrump departs for Michigan and Wisconsin!" Margo Martin's X post read, per White's screen recording.
"Oh....Don't even think about using my music you fascists," White wrote in the caption of his post. "Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.) Have a great day at work today Margo Martin."
White also castigated Trump for an altercation between a public affairs official and members of the Trump campaign at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday. Though federal law states political activities are not permitted on cemetery grounds, Trump's team was reportedly photographing and filming at the site.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
He called out the Republican presidential candidate "for insulting our nation's veterans at Arlington you scum. You should lose every military family's vote immediately from that if ANYTHING makes sense anymore."
USA TODAY reached out to the Trump campaign and White's reps for comment.
Who's spoken out?Trump keeps dancing as artists get outraged over use of their songs
Céline Dion, Foo Fighters have also spoken out against Trump campaign
The former White Stripes frontman is the latest in a string of artists who have distanced themselves from Trump's presidential run after his campaign used their music in rallies and videos.
Céline Dion ("My Heart Will Go On"), Foo Fighters ("My Hero"), the estate of Sinéad O'Connor ("Nothing Compares 2 U") and the family of songwriter Isaac Hayes (Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'") are among those who have denounced the use of their work.
Some, but not all, have threatened legal action.
After the Trump campaign played "Hold On, I'm Comin'" at rallies, Hayes' son, Isaac Hayes III, filed a copyright infringement notice, which was issued to Trump and demanded a payment of $3 million in licensing fees.
"Donald Trump epitomizes a lack of integrity and class, not only through his continuous use of my father's music without permission but also through his history of sexual abuse against women and his racist rhetoric," Hayes III wrote on Instagram. "This behavior will no longer be tolerated, and we will take swift action to put an end to it."
The Hayes family's lawyer claims Trump "willfully and brazenly" committed copyright infringement and has continued to use the song "despite being asked repeatedly not to engage in such illegal use" by the family.
After "My Hero" was played at Trump's Arizona rally with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week, a representative for the Foo Fighters told USA TODAY the band was not asked for permission, and if they were it would not have been granted. The rock band vowed to donate "any royalties received as a result of this use will be donated" to Democratic candidate Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman
veryGood! (752)
Related
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- After 25 Years of Futility, Democrats Finally Jettison Carbon Pricing in Favor of Incentives to Counter Climate Change
- Barack Obama drops summer playlist including Ice Spice, Luke Combs, Tina Turner and Peso Pluma
- Tech leaders urge a pause in the 'out-of-control' artificial intelligence race
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Google's 'Ghost Workers' are demanding to be seen by the tech giant
- Senate Judiciary Committee advances Supreme Court ethics bill amid scrutiny of justices' ties to GOP donors
- The Perseids — the best meteor shower of the year — are back. Here's how to watch.
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- A New Hampshire beauty school student was found dead in 1981. Her killer has finally been identified.
Ranking
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- As Illinois Strains to Pass a Major Clean Energy Law, a Big Coal Plant Stands in the Way
- Inside Clean Energy: Solar Industry Wins Big in Kentucky Ruling
- Social Security is now expected to run short of cash by 2033
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- One Last Climate Warning in New IPCC Report: ‘Now or Never’
- Michael Cohen settles lawsuit against Trump Organization
- Inside Clean Energy: Offshore Wind Takes a Big Step Forward, but Remains Short of the Long-Awaited Boom
Recommendation
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
After 25 Years of Futility, Democrats Finally Jettison Carbon Pricing in Favor of Incentives to Counter Climate Change
Blood, oil, and the Osage Nation: The battle over headrights
In San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point Neighborhood, Advocates Have Taken Air Monitoring Into Their Own Hands
Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
Sophia Culpo Seemingly Shades Ex Braxton Berrios and His Rumored Girlfriend Alix Earle
Batteries are catching fire at sea
Sale of North Dakota’s Largest Coal Plant Is Almost Complete. Then Will Come the Hard Part
Like
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- ‘A Trash Heap for Our Children’: How Norilsk, in the Russian Arctic, Became One of the Most Polluted Places on Earth
- Chemours’ Process for Curtailing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Could Produce Hazardous Air Pollutants in Louisville