The Trump campaign is being forced to pause its use of a song co-written by the legendary musician Isaac Hayes following a legal dispute. A federal judge in Atlanta issued a temporary ruling on Tuesday, blocking the campaign from using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming,” after the Hayes estate took legal action last month.
The conflict began when the estate of Isaac Hayes, the late soul icon, objected to the Trump campaign’s use of the song at rallies and public events. “Hold On, I’m Coming,” originally performed by Sam & Dave and written by Hayes and David Porter, became a point of contention after Hayes’ estate threatened legal action unless the campaign stopped using the track without authorization.
On Tuesday, the federal judge’s ruling temporarily blocks further use of the song while the court reviews the merits of the case. The Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign have both argued that the Hayes estate does not have the legal rights to license the song, claiming that the campaign’s use of it was within the bounds of existing agreements.
However, the dispute intensified earlier this week when Isaac Hayes III, the son of the late musician, posted a letter from music licensing organization BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) on social media. The letter, sent to the Trump campaign in June, officially notified the campaign that the song was being excluded from its licensing agreement with BMI. This means the campaign does not have permission to play the song at its events.
Isaac Hayes III has been vocal about protecting his father’s musical legacy, emphasizing that the unauthorized use of the song by political campaigns is a violation of his estate’s rights. “My father’s music is more than just a soundtrack for a campaign – it’s part of our family’s heritage,” he stated in a recent interview.
The Trump campaign has not yet responded to the judge’s ruling, but legal experts suggest the case could become a precedent for other artists seeking to block political campaigns from using their music without permission. Similar disputes have arisen in recent years, with multiple artists challenging political figures over the use of their songs at rallies.
As the legal battle continues, the case highlights the growing tension between musicians and political campaigns over intellectual property rights and the unauthorized use of creative works.
