Isaac Hayes Estate Sues Trump Over Unauthorized Use of Song

The family of the late singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump and his campaign, alleging unauthorized use of the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” during rallies and in campaign videos. The suit, lodged in a Georgia federal court, also names the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the conservative group Turning Point USA. The Hayes estate claims Trump owes $150,000 for each of the over 100 alleged unauthorized uses of the song, potentially amounting to millions in fees. Hayes, who co-wrote the song with David Porter, first performed it in 1966 with Sam & Dave. The estate asserts that it regained the copyright to “Hold On, I’m Coming” in 2022 and that the Trump campaign has continued to use the song without permission. A notice of copyright infringement was sent to Trump’s campaign on August 11, with the family seeking $3 million in licensing fees. The letter from Hayes’s lawyer, James Walker, emphasized that the campaign had been repeatedly asked to cease using the song. The alleged infringements reportedly occurred between 2022 and 2024, with Walker demanding that Trump stop using the song and remove all related videos by August 16. The estate argues that the requested licensing fee is significantly discounted compared to the potential litigation costs, which could reach ten times the current demand. This legal action follows a history of musicians expressing discontent over Trump’s use of their music, with Porter explicitly stating he does not want his songs used for political purposes, emphasizing the intent of music to uplift rather than divide.