Neil Young Sues Trump 47 Committee for $10 Million Over Rally Song Use

Neil Young filed a copyright infringement lawsuit on Monday against the Trump 47 Committee Inc, seeking $10 million in damages. The suit, lodged in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, alleges that the committee used the 1989 song "Rockin' in the Free World" as walk-up music at recent midterm election rallies without a license.

This is the second time Young has sued a Trump organization over the same track. In 2020, he filed a suit against Donald J Trump for President Inc. That organization settled the dispute, and Young's new filing cites a promise from the previous entity that it "would never again use Rockin' in the Free World without a license and permission from Young."

Young argues that the continued use of the song has damaged his reputation. The complaint states that because he is a vocal critic of the president, the implication that he supports Donald Trump in any way has harmed his brand. The suit describes the song as a blistering anthem that contrasts hollow political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor and homeless. It argues the lyrics depict street-level portraits of despair and offer savage irony about freedom, making the track the opposite of everything Trump stands for.

The lawsuit specifically mentions the song being played at a rally in Ohio on October 12. It also notes that the track has been performed numerous times at other rallies intended to encourage Republican votes in the upcoming midterms. Young is seeking an injunction to prevent further public performances of the song at Trump events.

Young has maintained a clear anti-Trump stance in recent years. He has criticized the president in writings on his website and released a 2025 protest song titled "Big Crime." In that track, he sings about getting the fascists out and cleaning the White House out. The Trump administration has not yet responded to the new filing.

The suit comes as the Trump presidency has increased its use of left-wing musicians' work for political purposes. Over the past year, the administration has used songs by artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, and SZA in clips promoting ICE or its strategy in Iran. In August, Taylor Swift had her song "August" removed from a video celebrating the presidency.

The case is now before the court in Virginia. Young's lawyers are asking the judge to stop the committee from playing the song at future rallies. The Trump 47 Committee Inc. has not issued a public statement regarding the filing.