ATLANTA – A federal judge in Atlanta made a ruling on Tuesday that put a halt to Donald Trump and his campaign’s use of the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” while a lawsuit from the family of one of the song’s co-writers is ongoing.
The estate of Isaac Hayes Jr. filed a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement by Trump, his campaign, and several allies. U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash granted an emergency preliminary injunction, forcing Trump to stop using the song. However, he did not require the campaign to remove existing videos containing the song.
“Hold On, I’m Coming” was co-written by Isaac Hayes Jr. and David Porter in 1966 and became a hit for soul duo Sam and Dave.
Trump’s attorney, Ronald Coleman, stated that the campaign had already agreed to discontinue the use of the song: “The campaign has no intention of causing harm, and if the Hayes family is upset by its use, we will respect that.”
Isaac Hayes III, son of the late co-writer, expressed his gratitude for the judge’s decision and hopes it will encourage other artists to protect their rights and copyrights from unauthorized use by political entities like Donald Trump.
Several artists, including Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, and Rihanna, have objected to Trump using their music at his events in the past, emphasizing the importance of respecting artists’ rights.
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