Neil Young seeks $10 million in damages after Trump rallies play 1989 anthem
The musician alleges the president's committee violated a previous settlement by using the track at midterm events.
By Vikram Harrison ·
Neil Young has filed a second copyright lawsuit against Donald Trump's political organization, seeking $10 million in damages.
The suit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, targets Trump 47 Committee Inc. The complaint alleges the group played Young's 1989 song, Rockin' in the Free World, as walk-up music at recent midterm election rallies without a license.
Young argues this action breaches a 2020 settlement with Donald J Trump for President Inc. That earlier agreement stated the organization would never use the song again without explicit permission. The new filing claims the continued use has damaged Young's reputation and brand by implying he supports the president.
The lawsuit describes the track as a blistering anthem that contrasts political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor and homeless. The document states the lyrics paint vivid street-level portraits, including a mother discarding her baby and addicts lost in despair. It asserts the song is the opposite of everything Trump stands for.
Young's lawyers cite the song's playback at a rally in Ohio on October 12. They note the track has been played numerous times at other events designed to encourage Republican votes in the upcoming midterms. The suit also seeks an injunction to stop further public performances.
Young has been a vocal critic of the administration, releasing the protest song Big Crime in 2025. The track includes lines about getting fascists out and cleaning the White House. The Trump administration has not yet responded to the filing.
This legal action follows a recent pattern of the presidency using left-wing artists' music for political purposes. In the past 12 months, the administration has used songs by Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and SZA for ICE propaganda and Iran strategy clips. In August, Taylor Swift removed her song August from a video celebrating the Trump presidency.
