The Trump campaign has announced that it will respect the bench ruling and will not be appealing it.
A federal judge in Atlanta issued a preliminary injunction on Sept. 3, ordering the Trump campaign to stop using Isaac Hayes’s song “Hold On, I’m Coming” at rallies. The R&B song has been a staple at former President Donald Trump’s rallies, often played during the closing portion.
The GOP nominee’s presidential campaign expressed its respect for the ruling and stated that they will not be pursuing an appeal. Ron Coleman, a lawyer for the campaign, emphasized that they have no intention of causing harm or annoyance, particularly to the Hayes family.
The campaign’s primary concern was that the judge did not order them to remove videos that featured the 1966 song. Coleman mentioned the possibility of political motivations behind the timing of the request, given the proximity to the upcoming election.
The Hayes estate had requested Trump to cease playing the song, remove related videos, issue a public disclaimer, and pay $3 million in licensing fees. The estate threatened legal action if these demands were not met by a certain deadline.
The campaign claimed to have a fair-use license for the song, a claim disputed by the Hayes estate. Isaac Hayes III, one of Hayes’s children, refuted the campaign’s assertion on social media.
The ruling was celebrated by the Hayes estate, with their lead attorney expressing satisfaction with the outcome. Hayes III expressed gratitude for the decision and emphasized the importance of protecting artists’ rights and copyrights.
The battle between the Hayes estate and Trump dates back to 2022, following an incident at the NRA Annual Meeting. Despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter, Trump continued to use the song at his events.
Various other artists, including Celine Dion, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen, and Guns N’ Roses, have also called on Trump to stop using their music at his rallies. The Hayes estate plans to pursue the removal of their song from the campaign’s videos through legal means.
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