Neil Young sues Trump PAC for $10 million over 'Rockin' in the Free World' at Ohio rally

Neil Young has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Donald Trump's political action committee, Trump 47 Committee Inc., seeking $10 million in damages over the use of 'Rockin' in the Free World' at a campaign event in Ohio. Billboard, which obtained the complaint, reports that Young sued on Monday, October 26.

What the complaint alleges

The suit concerns the song's use as Trump's walk-up music at an October 12 rally in Youngstown, held ahead of the midterm elections. Young says he never gave the PAC a public performance license and never would. Alongside the damages claim, he is asking the court for an injunction to stop any further use.

His lawyers argue that the song's message is irreconcilable with Trump's politics, calling it in the filing "the opposite of everything that Donald J. Trump stands for." They also say Young has been harmed by the suggestion that he supports the president, citing damage to "his reputation and brand." These are claims made in a complaint, and no response from the PAC has been reported.

The 2020 settlement

The filing leans on history. Young previously sued Trump's campaign over the same song during the 2020 presidential race. According to Young, that case was resolved quickly, with the campaign promising that "it would never again use 'Rockin' in the Free World' without a license and permission from Young." His new complaint argues that Trump should therefore have known the latest use was unlawful.

Billboard reports that the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

A familiar pattern

Billboard notes that many musicians have publicly objected to the use of their songs at Trump events since he entered politics in 2016, and that Young is not the only one to go to court. In 2024, The White Stripes and the estate of Isaac Hayes both brought suits over the use of 'Seven Nation Army' and 'Hold On, I'm Coming' respectively. Per Billboard, the White Stripes case was dropped soon afterward, and the Hayes estate reached a settlement this year.

The outlet adds that, during Trump's second term, his administration has also clashed with Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande over the use of their music in TikTok and Instagram posts, many of them promoting the administration's immigration enforcement and deportation agenda.