Neil Young Sues Trump PAC for $10 Million Over ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ Use at Midterm Rallies

Neil Young has filed a $10 million copyright infringement lawsuit against Donald J. Trump’s political action committee, Trump 47 Committee Inc., over the repeated use of his 1989 anthem “Rockin’ in the Free World” as walk-up music at midterm election rallies. The suit, filed Monday, comes six years after Young and Trump reached a prior settlement over the same song during the 2016 presidential campaign. Young, a Canadian-born rocker and longtime critic of Trump, has consistently objected to the use of his music at political events, joining artists like the Rolling Stones and R.E.M. in demanding that campaigns stop playing their songs without permission. The lawsuit argues that the Trump PAC’s unauthorized use of the track misleads the public into thinking Young endorses the former president’s candidacy. Legal experts note that while venues often hold blanket performance licenses, political campaigns can still face liability for using songs in a way that implies artist endorsement. The case could set a precedent for how musicians protect their work from political appropriation. As the 2026 midterms approach, the outcome may influence how campaigns handle music licensing—and whether artists gain stronger tools to keep their songs out of political rallies they oppose.