Neil Young is back in court over “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and this time he wants $10 million. The 80-year-old rocker filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit on Monday against Trump 47 Committee Inc., alleging his 1989 anthem keeps turning up at Trump events without his permission. One of those events was a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, earlier this month.
According to Variety, the suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. It specifically cites the playing of the song at the Youngstown rally on Oct. 12, and asks for an injunction against further public performance for political purposes along with the $10 million in damages. The complaint also alleges the recording was played “numerous times at other rallies designed to encourage Republican votes in the upcoming mid-term elections.”
Trump himself is not named as a defendant, Music Business Worldwide reports, though five unnamed Doe defendants are listed in the complaint.
A Settlement Young Says Was Broken
This is not Young's first round over the song. Per Variety, he sued a different corporation, Donald J. Trump for President Inc., in 2020 over “Rockin’ in the Free World” and another of his songs. That defendant agreed it would never again use the song “without a license and permission from Young.”
The new complaint argues that promise was ignored. Young alleges that Trump “is now and at the time of all rallies this year was personally aware that a license would be required to play the song at rallies,” and that Young would not have granted one. Young also contends he has suffered damage to his reputation and brand “as a result of the implication that he supports Donald J. Trump in any way.”
The Denver Gazette adds that the complaint calls the song a “blistering anthem” contrasting political promises with the struggles of poor and marginalized people. It also describes the song as the opposite of everything Trump stands for.
A Long-Running Objection
Young has been pushing back for years. In a 2018 message on his website, Young wrote, as NewsNation reported, that he first asked Trump to stop using his songs in 2015; in a widely shared public letter that year, he recalled, “I asked him then.” In 2025, The Guardian notes, he released a protest song about the administration called “Big Crime.”
He is hardly the only musician to bristle. Courthouse News Service lists Rihanna, Linkin Park, Steven Tyler, the White Stripes and the estates of Tom Petty and Sinead O’Connor among those who have filed similar complaints.
How Past Fights Played Out
Results have varied. Billboard reports that both the White Stripes and the estate of Isaac Hayes sued in 2024. The White Stripes suit was quickly dropped, and the Hayes estate settled this year.
Music Business Worldwide adds that the Hayes estate alleged “Hold On, I’m Coming” had been played at least 133 times between 2020 and 2024.
What the Licensing Rules Say
Music licensing groups have long spelled out the ground rules. ASCAP says a campaign using music by its members at live events like regional rallies should obtain a public-performance license. It also says venue licenses typically exclude political campaign events, leaving campaigns responsible for permissions.
ASCAP adds that an artist may be able to take legal action over an association with a political campaign even when the campaign holds proper performance licenses. Potential claims include right of publicity, Lanham Act trademark claims and false endorsement.
The reports reviewed include no response from Trump, Trump 47 Committee Inc. or their attorneys. No court ruling on the injunction request or damages has been reported.
