A federal judge has mandated that former President Donald Trump and his campaign cease using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” following a legal dispute over its unauthorized use.
The ruling was issued by Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia, after the estate of late R&B artist Isaac Hayes sought an emergency injunction against the Trump campaign. The estate contends that the campaign has been using the song without proper licensing.
In his ruling, Judge Thrash ordered Trump and his campaign to refrain from using the song without obtaining the appropriate license. However, he denied the Hayes estate’s request to remove previously recorded instances of the song’s use.
Ronald Coleman, an attorney for Trump, expressed that the campaign has no intention of causing distress or inconvenience. Coleman stated, “If the Hayes family feels it hurts or annoys them, that’s fine, we’re not going to force the issue,” adding that the campaign was relieved the judge did not mandate the removal of past recordings.
Isaac Hayes, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 65, co-wrote “Hold On, I’m Coming” in 1966 with David Porter. The song was famously performed by the duo Sam & Dave, with Sam Moore being the surviving member.
The Hayes estate alleges that the Trump campaign started using the song in 2020 and continued to do so into 2024, as evidenced by its use in recent campaign rallies and posts on social media platforms.
Isaac Hayes III, a representative of the estate, welcomed the court’s decision, stating, “We are very grateful and happy for the decision by Judge Thrash. I want this to serve as an opportunity for other artists to come forward that don’t want their music used by Donald Trump or other political entities.”
In response to the lawsuit, attorneys for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee argue that the Hayes estate is not the legitimate license holder for the song. They have disputed the estate’s claims and the assertion that the campaign lacked a valid license.
Hayes III has publicly criticized the Trump campaign’s claims of having a valid license, sharing a letter from BMI, an organization that manages music licensing, which he says confirms the campaign’s lack of proper authorization.
The Hayes estate’s legal action marks the first instance of a court case against Trump’s use of music without proper licensing. Other artists, including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Celine Dion, and the estates of Prince and Foo Fighters, have also expressed objections to their music being used by Trump and his campaign.
