“This machine sues fascists”: The White Stripes sue Donald Trump

Another day and another unauthorized use of a song by the Trump campaign team… This time it is the rock duo The White Stripes who are suing Donald Trump for the “blatant misuse” of their hit “Seven Nation Army”.

The White Stripes add their name to a long list of artists who have sent cease and desist letters or even sued Donald Trump for using their songs without permission.

The American rock band is suing the Republican presidential candidate for the unauthorized use of their 2003 song “Seven Nation Army” in a campaign video posted last month by Margo Martin, Trump’s deputy communications director.

The video, posted on August 29 and since deleted, shows the former president boarding a plane to the opening riff of “Seven Nation Army.”

At the time, Jack White wrote: “Don't even think about using my music, you fascists. My lawyers will file a lawsuit over this (in addition to your 5,000 others).”

Now the singer has made good on his threat and, together with bandmate Meg White, filed a lawsuit for copyright infringement.

According to the lawsuit (via pitchfork), filed in federal court in Manhattan and listing six counts of copyright infringement, the band “vehemently opposes the policies and actions adopted by Defendant Trump during his presidency, as well as those he has proposed for his sought second term.”

The complaint also alleges that Trump and his campaign “ignored and failed to respond to plaintiffs' pre-trial efforts to resolve the issues” and instead “indiscriminately trampled on plaintiffs' legal rights.”

In a post shared on Instagram yesterday, Jack White captioned a copy of the lawsuit with the words: “This machine is suing fascists.”

Trump is notorious for using music at his campaign events without the artists’ permission. From Tom Petty, Neil Young, the Rolling Stones to Adele, Bruce Springsteen and Sinead O’Connor has issued a cease and desist order against the politician.

The Estate of Isaac Hayes sued him for 134 counts of copyright infringementand in August the two French artists Wooden child And Celine Dion denounced the unauthorized use of their songs at Trump’s rallies.

Dion's song “My Heart Will Go On” from the Oscar-winning film Titanic was used at a rally in Montana. Dion's team condemned the use and questioned the song choice, writing: “And really, THAT song?” – proving that Trump and his campaign team apparently little to no self-confidence when it comes to culture or the fact that his election campaign now feels like a sinking ship.

One of the most recent cases is Beyoncé’s alleged threat to Donald Trump’s campaign team with Lawsuit for unauthorized use of her song “Freedom” in a social media video, days after the singer announced the song as the official anthem for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

Accordingly Rolling StoneThe singer's record label has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump campaign team after the former president's spokesman, Steven Cheung, posted a now-deleted video on X showing Trump getting off a plane with the song “Freedom” playing in the background.

Additional sources • Pitchfork, Rolling Stone