Current:Home > ContactDonald Trump's campaign prohibited from using Isaac Hayes song after lawsuit threat -AssetLink
Donald Trump's campaign prohibited from using Isaac Hayes song after lawsuit threat
View
Date:2025-04-18 14:19:30
A federal judge in Atlanta ruled Tuesday that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his campaign can no longer use Isaac Hayes' song "Hold On, I'm Comin.'"
The ruling comes nearly a month after Hayes' family threatened to sue the former president over his use of the track, co-written by Hayes and performed by soul duo Sam & Dave, at rallies.
"Today our family was granted an injunction against @realdonaldtrump from playing @IsaacHayes3 music ever again," Hayes' son Isaac Hayes III wrote on X. "We are please(d) with the decision by the court and move to the next phase of this lawsuit."
Hayes III previously shared a copy of a copyright infringement notice on social media, filed by lawyer James Walker and issued to Trump, demanding his campaign pay $3 million in licensing fees. The late singer's family was considering suing for 134 counts of copyright infringement for the "unauthorized use of the song" at campaign rallies over the last two years.
Read more here:Isaac Hayes' family demands Trump stop using his song at rallies, $3M in fees
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The notice also demanded the Trump campaign remove videos featuring the song and issue a public disclaimer, or else face "further legal action."
Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. granted the Hayes estate's request to halt Trump's use of the song, but the judge reportedly denied the estate's motion to remove previously recorded uses of the song from the campaign, according to CNN and The Associated Press.
While speaking to reporters after the hearing, Trump's attorney Ronald Coleman said the former president's legal team was pleased with Thrash's ruling on previous uses of the song. Coleman added that the Trump campaign had already agreed not to use the track anymore.
"The campaign has no interest in annoying or hurting anyone, and if the Hayes family feels that it hurts or annoys them, that's fine. We're not going to force the issue," Coleman said, per CNN and AP.
Following the judge's ruling, Hayes' son told reporters he was "very grateful and happy," according to AP.
"I want this to serve as an opportunity for other artists to come forward that don’t want their music used by Donald Trump or other political entities and continue to fight for music artists’ rights and copyright," his son said, per the outlet.
The Hayes family's motion against the Trump campaign is listed as a preliminary injunction in the case, according to the U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia website. Future hearing dates were not immediately available.
Hayes died on Aug. 10, 2008. He co-wrote "Hold On, I’m Comin,'" released in 1966, with David Porter. The soul-pop hit has been covered by Aretha Franklin, Waylon Jennings, Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Tina Turner.
The number of songs Trump can use at his rallies is steadily decreasing.
Donald Trump v. Beyoncé:Trump's campaign removes 'Freedom' video after reports singer sent cease and desist
Hayes' family joins a long list of people who have demanded the former president stop using artists' music at his rallies, including Sinéad O'Connor's estate, Prince's estate, The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco and the family of Tom Petty.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
veryGood! (992)
Related
- 'Squid Game' without subtitles? Duolingo, Netflix encourage fans to learn Korean
- Finland reports a rush of migrant crossings hours before the reclosure of 2 border posts with Russia
- Woman killed by crossbow in western NY, and her boyfriend is charged with murder
- Tara Reid Details On and Off Relationship With Tom Brady Prior to Carson Daly Engagement
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Cambodia welcomes the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s plan to return looted antiquities
- Will cars in the future be equipped with devices to prevent drunk driving? What we know.
- UN peacekeeping chief welcomes strong support for its far-flung operations despite `headwinds’
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Taraji P. Henson talks about her Hollywood journey and playing Shug Avery in The Color Purple
Ranking
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Illinois county board incumbent wants primary opponent disqualified for misspelling ‘Republican’
- Airbnb agrees to pay $621 million to settle a tax dispute in Italy
- Farmer sells her food for pennies in a trendy Tokyo district to help young people walking around hungry
- South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
- Shipping companies announce crucial deadlines for holiday shipping: Time is running out
- Pope Francis calls for global treaty to regulate artificial intelligence: We risk falling into the spiral of a technological dictatorship
- Court upholds $75,000 in fines against Alex Jones for missing Sandy Hook case deposition
Recommendation
Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
The EU struggles to unify around a Gaza cease-fire call but work on peace moves continues
Lawyers for Atlanta ask federal appeals court to kill ‘Stop Cop City’ petition seeking referendum
What econ says in the shadows
How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
Airbnb agrees to pay $621 million to settle a tax dispute in Italy
NCAA women's volleyball championship: What to know about Texas vs. Nebraska
Farmer sells her food for pennies in a trendy Tokyo district to help young people walking around hungry