Donald Trump Hit With White Stripes Lawsuit, As Promised — Update

Armando Tinoco and Dominic Patten
·3 min read
22

UPDATE, 1:08 PM: “This machine sues fascists.”

Jack White said he was going to take Donald Trump to court for using his music, and today, with a tribute to the late great Woody Guthrie, he has.

More from Deadline

In a jury trial seeking complaint filed Monday in federal court in New York, the musician and his White Stripes bandmate Meg White have collectively and individually made their move to shut the ex-POTUS’ campaign use of the band’s 2003 mega-hit “Seven Nation Army” in videos.

White made it official with a post on his social media in the last hour:

In case there was any remaining ambiguity about why Jack White and Meg White are taking the big legal step today, the complaint stated that the duo “vehemently oppose the policies adopted and actions taken by Defendant Trump when he was President and those he has proposed for the second term he seeks.”

AKA – keep your Project 2025 far away from me.

The Trump campaign did not respond to request for comment on this latest legal action from a musician who doesn’t want any association with the past and current GOP candidate. Likely prepping forttomorrow’s debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, if the Trump campaign does get back to us, this post will be updated.

PREVIOUSLY, AUG, 29 PM: Jack White is not messing around and doesn’t want to be associated with Donald Trump and his third presidential run for the White House.

Margo Martin, the Trump campaign’s deputy director of communications, shared a video of Trump departing and boarding a plane for rallies in Michigan and Wisconsin. In the now-deleted video Martin shared on X (formerly Twitter), the White Stripes song “Seven Nation Army” was used, which prompted White’s reaction.

“Oh….Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” Jack said in a statement shared on Instagram along with Martin’s post. “Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.) Have a great day at work today Margo Martin.”

White continued, “And as long as I’m here, a double fuck you DonOLD for insulting our nation’s veterans at Arlington you scum. You should lose every military family’s vote immediately from that if ANYTHING makes sense anymore.”

White joins other musicians including ABBA, Foo Fighters and Celine Dion who have publicly expressed their discontent with their music being associated with Trump.

RELATED: Classic Rockers & Current Stars Demand Clearance For Campaign Music

Foo Fighters recently said they didn’t approve of their song “My Hero” to play at a Trump rally in Arizona. The Trump campaign clapped back and said it had licensed their music through the BMI Songview service.

Earlier this month, Dion’s team also publicly rejected the Trump campaign’s use of the singer’s “My Heart Will Go On” during a rally.

“In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” read a statement from Dion’s team on August 10. “…And really, THAT song?”

A throng of musicians teaming with the Artist Rights Alliance penning an open letter that called on major U.S. political parties to “establish clear policies requiring campaigns to seek consent of featured recording artists, songwriters and copyright owners before publicly using their music in a political or campaign setting.”

Signatories of that letter included the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Aerosmith, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Green Day, Jason Isbell, Blondie, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Rosanne Cash, Alanis Morissette, Courtney Love, Linkin Park, Lykke Li, Train, Lionel Richie, Lorde, Sia and Regina Spektor.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next