In September, a short video using the well-known riff from a famous song led to a legal dispute.
The White Stripes Call Off Lawsuit
Recently, The White Stripes decided to cancel their lawsuit against Donald Trump for using “Seven Nation Army” in one of his campaign videos. Jack and Meg White made this decision public through a brief statement, but they left open the possibility of revisiting the case later if needed. This announcement came shortly after Trump emerged victorious in the 2024 election.
Trump’s lawyer didn’t respond to Rolling Stone when asked for a comment.
The lawsuit began because Margo Martin, who works for a group supporting Trump, posted a 10-second clip on social media featuring “Seven Nation Army.” This video reached about 65,000 views before Jack White found out and reacted.
“Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” Jack White expressed on Instagram, warning of legal action and sarcastically wishing Martin a good day at work.
The clip got taken down, yet White proceeded with the legal action, naming Trump, Martin, and his campaign team in the lawsuit. It claimed they improperly used the song’s unique opening riff in a video showing Trump heading to campaign events.
This wasn’t the first time Trump faced music-related troubles. There was another case where a Beyoncé song was used without permission in a Trump aide’s video. That clip used “Freedom,” linked to Kamala Harris’s campaign, and was also removed after complaints.
Fans might wonder why politicians keep using songs without asking first.
