Photo Credit: Jack White by David James Swanson for Sony Music Entertainment / CC by 4.0
Jack White previously threatened to sue Donald Trump over his campaign’s use of the White Stripes’ music, and now he’s made good on that threat.
Jack White has made good on his threat to sue Donald Trump for the use of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” in campaign videos, in a complaint seeking a jury trial filed Monday in New York federal court.
The lawsuit, filed by Jack White and his ex-wife and former bandmate Meg White, states that the pair “vehemently oppose the policies adopted and actions taken by Defendant Trump when he was President and those he has proposed for the second term he seeks.”
The White Stripes musician had previously commented on Instagram about a post made on the former Twitter by Margo Martin, the Trump campaign’s deputy director of communications. In Martin’s post, she shared a now-deleted video of Trump boarding a plane for rallies in Michigan and Wisconsin, using the White Stripes’ 2003 hit as a backing track.
“Oh, don’t even think about using my music, you fascists,” Jack said on Instagram, along with a copy of Martin’s post. “Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.) Have a great day at work today, Margo Martin.” Notably, Martin is also named in the lawsuit.
Jack White is only the latest in a long line of musicians who have publicly expressed discontent with their music being used by Donald Trump and his campaign. Recently, these include Abba, Celine Dion, and Foo Fighters.
But a slew of musicians have also teamed with the Artist Rights Alliance in an open letter calling on US political parties to “establish clear policies requiring campaigns to seek consent” for the music they want to use for their political or campaign events. Musicians to have signed that letter include Aerosmith, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Green Day, Blondie, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Courtney Love, Linkin Park, Lionel Richie, Sia, and more.
