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Neil Young sues Trump PAC for $10 million over use of ‘Rockin in the Free World’ at midterm rallies
Neil Young alleged that Donald Trump’s political action committee continued using the 1989 song without permission despite a previous settlement in 2020.
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Singer-songwriter Neil Young has filed a $10 million copyright infringement lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s political action committee. The singer has alleged that his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” has been repeatedly used at Trump’s campaign rallies without authorization.
The lawsuit was filed Monday against Trump 47 Committee Inc. in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to Variety.
“A blistering anthem"
Young’s legal team is seeking damages and an injunction preventing further use of the song for political events. The complaint specifically noted that the song was used at Trump’s rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 12. They also alleged that the track has also been played at other Republican campaign events ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Young’s lawsuit argued that Trump and his campaign committee were aware that permission was required to use the song but continued playing it without obtaining a license.
The complaint states that the continued use of the track has damaged Young’s reputation by suggesting he supports Trump politically, despite the musician’s public opposition to the president.
“Rockin’ in the Free World,” released in 1989, has often been interpreted as a critique of social inequality and political failures. Young’s lawsuit describes the song as a protest anthem highlighting issues including poverty, homelessness and social neglect.
The lawsuit detailed that the said song “is a blistering anthem that contrasts the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor, homeless and forgotten. The lyrics pain vivid street-level portraits — a mother discarding her baby, addicts lost in despair, garbage piling in the shadows of prosperity — while the repeated chorus delivers a savage irony, celebrating freedom that clearly isn’t shared by all. In short, the song is the opposite of everything that Donald J. Trump stands for.”
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Previous copyright dispute resurfaces
The lawsuit marks the second time Young has taken legal action against Trump over the use of “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
In 2020, Young sued Donald J. Trump for President Inc. over the use of the same song, along with another Young track. According to the new lawsuit, that case was settled after Trump’s campaign organization agreed not to use the songs again without permission.
The latest complaint alleged that Trump’s political committee violated the terms of that earlier agreement by continuing to play the song during campaign rallies. The lawsuit did not disclose the financial terms of the 2020 settlement.
Trump’s campaign has previously faced similar complaints from musicians who objected to their music being played at political events. Several artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo etc. have publicly demanded that campaigns stop using their songs without permission.
