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Neil Young Sues Trump PAC Over “Rockin’ In The Free World”
Neil Young has filed a $10 million copyright infringement lawsuit against Trump 47 Committee Inc., alleging that the political action committee continued using “Rockin’ In The Free World” at a rally despite an earlier settlement. The case matters because it renews a dispute over the use of Young’s music at Trump events and whether the settlement was breached.
The lawsuit was filed in Virginia, where the committee is based, and names the PAC rather than Trump personally. Young’s lawyers say Trump knew a licence was required and that the song conflicts with his views. They cite its use as entrance music at a midterm rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on 12 October; Young’s previous 2020 lawsuit was settled out of court.
In short
- Neil Young is seeking $10 million over alleged unauthorised song use.
- The lawsuit targets Trump 47 Committee, not Trump personally.
- Young says the use breached a settlement from an earlier dispute.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Young’s strongest case is that copyright law gives artists control over the commercial and political use of their work, and that a prior settlement should be honoured. If the PAC used the song without the required licence after being told permission was needed, seeking damages could protect both his rights and the credibility of settlements.
The case against
The PAC’s strongest case would be that the claim must be assessed against the precise settlement terms and the licensing arrangements that applied to the rally, rather than inferred from the song’s use alone. It could argue that any use was authorised or that the alleged breach and requested damages are not established; political campaigns also have an interest in clear, workable rules for using music at public events.
Explained simply
Neil Young is a Canadian singer and songwriter who wrote “Rockin’ in the Free World”. In the United States, musicians generally control how their songs are used in public, including at political events, unless permission has been granted.
Trump 47 Committee Inc. is a political action committee, a group that raises and spends money to support a political candidate. It is separate from Donald Trump personally, and it is the committee named in this case.
The dispute follows an earlier lawsuit by Young over the song’s use at Trump events, which was settled out of court in 2020. The new case raises questions about what that settlement allowed and how copyright rules apply to music played at political rallies.