Trump Campaign Clashes with Foo Fighters Over Use of Song

The Trump campaign and the Foo Fighters are questioning whether the Trump campaign has permission to make use of the band’s music at election rallies.

According to , after former President Donald Trump’s campaign used Foo Fighters’ 1998 hit “My Hero” to welcome Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s endorsement in Glendale, Arizona, the band said they never gave Trump the go-ahead for using their music.

But the Trump campaign took to social media to reply. Trump campaign manager Steven Cheung posted a cheeky message to Twitter/X aimed toward the band, combining two of the band’s song titles: “In times like these, facts matter, don’t be a pretend pretender.”

According to , there could also be evidence to support the Trump campaign’s claims, but that the team didn’t give permissionbut from BMI’s Songview service.

However, Foo Fighters have said through their representative that even when the Trump campaign had asked them directly, the band’s answer would have been “no.”

“Foo Fighters were not asked for permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it. In addition, any royalties received from this use will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.”

Dave Grohl, the band’s frontman, has openly expressed his dislike for the previous president, saying in 2018 that I’m ashamed that Trump was the president of the United States and calling him a “big jerk.”

“Today, the American dream is shattered. I’ve probably traveled the world more than our current president (Trump) and one thing he doesn’t understand is that the world is not as big as you think. Everything is right next door to you. India, Asia and Iceland are not different solar systems. I’m ashamed of our president. I feel remorse for that when I travel. I’m ashamed of our president. The thing about Trump that hurts me the most is this: he just seems like a big jerk.”

In 2008, they similarly rejected Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s use of their song, issuing an announcement condemning his use of “My Hero” that sounds almost an identical to their issues with the Trump campaign.

“It’s frustrating and infuriating that someone who claims to speak for the American people can repeatedly show such little respect for creativity and intellectual property. The saddest part of it all is that ‘My Hero’ was written as a celebration of the common man and his extraordinary potential. To have him appropriated without our knowledge and used in a way that distorts the original sentiment of the lyrics simply ruins the song.”

Foo Fighters join a growing list of musicians who’re unhappy with Trump using their music at rallies. On Aug. 22, it was reported that Beyoncé’s record label, Parkwood Entertainment, he reportedly threatened to issue a stop and desist order Trump campaign for using the song “Freedom,” her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, which Harris granted permission to make use of.

According to , along with Foo Fighters and BeyoncéSinead O’Connor’s fortune, Isaac Hayes’ fortune and Celine Dion’s fortune – all of them had an issue with threatened legal motion against Trump’s campaign through the election campaign for the chance to make use of their music at election rallies.