Neil Young Slaps Donald Trump With $10M Lawsuit Over Rally Song, Claiming Breach of 2020 Pact

Neil Young has launched a $10 million (€8.6 million and £7.5 million) lawsuit against one of Donald Trump's political action committees, accusing it of playing his song 'Rockin' in the Free World' at an Ohio rally in breach of a 2020 agreement.

The complaint, filed on Monday in federal court in Richmond, Virginia, names the Trump 47 Committee and concerns the song's use before Trump took the stage at a 12 October rally in Youngstown.

Young, 80, says the committee had no licence or authorisation to use the 1989 track. He also says its use breached a 2020 settlement in which Trump's side agreed not to play the song again without a licence.

According to the complaint, Young first objected to Trump using his music during the 2015 campaign and later took legal action over 'Rockin' in the Free World'. That earlier case ended in a settlement, the filing states, with an undertaking that the song would not be used again without Young's permission.

Why Neil Young Says the Song Was Misused

In the five-page filing, Young describes 'Rockin' in the Free World' as a song that contrasts 'the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor, homeless and forgotten'. He adds that it is 'the opposite of everything that Donald J. Trump stands for'.

According to the complaint, Young alleges that the track has been used 'numerous times' at rallies intended to encourage Republican votes in the upcoming midterm elections, not only at the Youngstown event.

The lawsuit asks the court to bar the committee from playing any of Young's songs and to award $10 million (€8.6 million and £7.5 million) in damages. The PAC did not respond to a request for comment, according to reporting on the filing.

Young's lawyers, Robert Besser and Scott Simmons, also did not respond to a request for comment. US District Judge Robert Payne, appointed by George H.W. Bush, will oversee the case.

A Song With a Political History

'Rockin' in the Free World' was written during a tour after a planned visit to the Soviet Union was cancelled. It was reportedly inspired when guitarist Frank 'Poncho' Sampedro told Young, 'I guess we'll have to keep on rockin' in the free world'. Young wrote and performed the song the following day in Seattle.

The track was performed on 'Saturday Night Live' in 1989 and has been described as critical of the administration of George H.W. Bush.

Young's complaint says the song has remained prominent in popular culture, citing recent performances by Roger Daltrey, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, Dave Matthews and Billy Strings. It also says Rolling Stone named it Vintage Rock Song of 2026.

According to the filing, Young maintains that the track is a political work rather than a neutral rally song and that its use at Trump events conflicts with that characterisation.

Trump's History With Artist Complaints

Young is one of several artists who have objected to Trump's use of their music at political events. Others include Rihanna, Linkin Park, Steven Tyler, The White Stripes and the estates of Tom Petty and Sinéad O'Connor.

Those previous disputes have involved different legal arguments and typically centred on whether campaign or event organisers had the right licences to use specific songs at rallies.

Young has a long record of engaging with political issues through his work. He co-founded Farm Aid, wrote 'Ohio' about the National Guard killing students during an anti-Vietnam War protest at Kent State, and released 'Living with War' in 2006, an album critical of the Iraq War and George W. Bush.

He later removed his music from Spotify in protest at the platform continuing to host Joe Rogan's podcast and other material he said spread Covid-19 misinformation.

What Happens Next

The case is now before US District Judge Robert Payne in the Eastern District of Virginia. Young is seeking $10 million (€8.6 million and £7.5 million) in damages and an injunction to prevent the committee from using his music at future political events.

The central allegation in the complaint is that Trump's committee resumed using 'Rockin' in the Free World' despite a 2020 settlement that Young says prohibited such use without a licence. The allegation has not yet been tested in court and the committee has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.