Beyoncé Issues Cease-And-Desist Threat Over Unauthorized Use Of Her Song Freedom By Trump Campaign

Beyoncé has taken a strong stance against the Trump campaign for using her song Freedom without permission. The track was used in a campaign video shared by Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Aug 22, 2024 | 03:01 PM IST | 69.7K

(Image Courtesy: Instagram and Getty Images)

Beyoncé and Donald Trump (via Instagram and Getty Images)

Beyoncé has threatened legal action against the Trump campaign for using the song Freedom without permission. Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Donald Trump, shared a video featuring the track from her 2016 album Lemonade as per PEOPLE.

The video, posted on August 20, 2024, showed Trump walking off a plane while the song's soundtrack played in the background. The post's caption read, "Touchdown in Michigan!! @realDonaldTrump."

The use of Freedom, which also features Kendrick Lamar, has attracted a lot of attention online. The song has become associated with political campaigns, particularly because Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has used it at a number of events.

Despite Beyoncé's silence regarding the Trump campaign's use of the song, Rolling Stone reported on August 21, 2024, that her team is ready to issue a cease-and-desist order.

This situation recalls a recent incident involving Céline Dion. Earlier this month, Dion's management chastised the Trump campaign for using her 1997 hit My Heart Will Go On at a Montana rally. Dion's team stated that the song's use was unauthorized and did not reflect Dion's support for the campaign.

Although Beyoncé has not officially endorsed Kamala Harris, she has previously shown support for the Democratic party. She sang the national anthem at Barack Obama's inauguration in 2013 and endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 via social media.

Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mother, has publicly endorsed Harris, posting a photo with the vice president on Instagram and expressing her support for Harris' candidacy.

This move shows the singer's opposition to her music being used without permission for political purposes. Both cases highlight the ongoing debate over the use of artists' music in political contexts without permission.

Beyoncé's potential legal action shows the complexities that arise when copyrighted music is used in political campaigns. It will be interesting to see how the Trump campaign responds to Beyoncé's cease-and-desist threat, as well as whether further legal action is taken.

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