Neil Young Invoices Trump for $10 Million: Musician Outraged by Use of His Hit

Canadian-American artist Neil Young has filed a lawsuit against the political committee of U.S. President Donald Trump. The reason is the use of the song "Rockin' in the Free World," which the musician wrote back in 1989. The lawsuit was prompted by a Republican Party rally held on October 12 in Ohio. During the event, Young's famous hit was played, although, according to the artist, the organizers did not obtain permission for its use. ## Musician Does Not Want to Be Associated with Trump Young claims that his song was played not only at the rally in Ohio but also at other Republican events. In the artist's opinion, the use of the song for political purposes without his consent not only violates copyright but also harms his reputation. The musician fears that the public may get the wrong impression that he supports Donald Trump and his political agenda. That is why the artist intends to seek not only monetary compensation but also a court injunction against further use of the composition. ## This Is the Second Conflict Over One Song Interestingly, Young has already sued Trump's team over a similar issue. In 2020, the musician also opposed the use of "Rockin' in the Free World" at political events. That conflict ended with a settlement. Trump's representatives promised not to use the composition without appropriate permission in the future. However, as indicated by the new lawsuit, the agreement did not put an end to the disagreements. Now Young has approached the federal court in Virginia, demanding $10 million from the president's political committee. Representatives of Donald Trump have not yet publicly responded to the rock musician's claims. The story once again raises the issue of using popular musical works in political campaigns. For artists, such situations are not only related to copyright but also to the ability to control which politicians and ideas the public associates with their work.