The White Stripes are taking their battle with Trump’s campaign to the courtroom! The band, known for their legendary hit “Seven Nation Army,” has officially filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and his team after the song was used without their permission in a campaign video.
And let’s just say, Jack White isn’t happy about it.
In the lawsuit filed this Monday in the Southern District of New York, the band is accusing Trump’s campaign of a “flagrant misappropriation” of their 2003 anthem. The drama started last month when Margo Martin, Trump’s deputy director of communications, shared a video of Trump boarding a plane to a couple of rallies, all while “Seven Nation Army” blasted in the background.
Jack White immediately took to Instagram, calling out the unauthorized use of the song in classic rockstar fashion. “Oh… Don’t even think about using my music, you fascists,” he wrote, and went on to tease legal action, warning, “Lawsuit coming from my lawyers (to add to your five thousand others).” True to his word, White and his band followed through.
The video has since disappeared from Martin’s feed, but that didn’t stop The White Stripes from pushing forward with the lawsuit. White even posted a snapshot of the legal filing with a cheeky caption: “This machine sues fascists,” a clear nod to folk icon Woody Guthrie’s famous guitar message.
In their legal argument, The White Stripes claim that Trump’s team either “knew or should have known” they weren’t allowed to use the track, especially since the band had already made their stance clear back in 2016.
Back then, when Trump’s first presidential run used the same song, The White Stripes publicly slammed the campaign, saying they were “disgusted by that association.” So, this isn’t their first rodeo when it comes to defending their music from political misuse.
With no response from Martin or Trump’s campaign, The White Stripes say they had no choice but to take things to court. The band is now seeking damages and a jury trial to hold the former president’s team accountable.
It’s not just The White Stripes taking legal action.
In recent weeks, other big-name artists like Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, and even ABBA have been stepping up to distance themselves from Trump’s rallies after their songs were used without permission.
Seems like the playlist at these events has been causing quite a stir among musicians who want no part in the political show.
