Jack White and Meg White, members of the White Stripes, sued Trump, his marketing campaign, and his deputy director of communications, Margo McAtee Martin, on Monday within the US District Court docket for the Southern District of New York.
Trump and his marketing campaign used the music’s iconic opening riff in a video of him boarding a aircraft for marketing campaign stops in Michigan and Wisconsin final month.
Sharing the grievance on Instagram, Jack White wrote, “This machine sues fascists.”
Within the grievance, the White Stripes accused Trump and his marketing campaign of “flagrant misappropriation” of one of many “most well-known and influential musical works of all time.”
“Defendants didn’t search a license from Plaintiffs to make use of the ‘Seven Nation Military’ work, however even when that they had, Plaintiffs wouldn’t have granted one as a result of Plaintiffs don’t endorse, and don’t need to be related to Defendants in any method,” the lawsuit said, as per the Detroit Information.
“In complete disregard of these concerns and Plaintiffs’ rights beneath federal legislation, Defendants determined that they might relatively make an apology than search permission, and included the well-known riff from the ‘Seven Nation Military’ work within the infringing Trump movies with out authorization,” it added.
The lawsuit additionally said that the band objected to Trump’s use of the music as a result of its members “vehemently oppose the insurance policies adopted and actions taken by Defendant Trump throughout his presidency and people he has proposed for the second time period he seeks,” in accordance with CNN.
Final month, Jack White indicated that he would pursue authorized motion after Margo Martin, a deputy director of communications for the Trump marketing campaign, shared a since-deleted video of Trump boarding a aircraft with “Seven Nation Military” enjoying on social media.
This isn’t the primary time an artist has criticized Trump for utilizing their songs at rallies. Not too long ago, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, and ABBA have additionally expressed their disapproval of Trump utilizing their music in his 2024 election marketing campaign.
Final month, Foo Fighters said that they didn’t authorise the Trump marketing campaign to make use of their music “My Hero,” which was performed at a rally in Arizona the place Trump was joined by Robert Kennedy Jr, shortly after Kennedy endorsed the previous president.
Pop star Celine Dion’s administration group launched a press release condemning using her traditional music “My Coronary heart Will Go On” throughout a marketing campaign rally.