The estate of singer and songwriter Isaac Hayes has dropped its copyright lawsuit against President Trump and his campaign after reaching a settlement over the use of the 1966 soul hit "Hold On, I'm Coming" at political rallies. The estate sued in 2024, arguing that Trump personally chose the track and that it was played at events at least 133 times without authorization. The complaint also said the campaign used the song in videos that were recorded and shared despite objections from Hayes' heirs. Terms of the settlement were not released, Rolling Stone reports; the estate had previously sought $3 million in damages.
Hayes, who died in 2008, cowrote, recorded, and released the Stax Records classic song with Sam & Dave. The duo's Sam Moore had performed "America the Beautiful" at a pre-inauguration concert for Trump, per the AP, and suggested in a sworn statement filed with the court that he was opposed to the action by Hayes' estate. A statement by the family framed the agreement with Trump as underscoring the need to safeguard intellectual property and copyright, particularly for artists' legacies and the "responsible use" of creative work. The musician's son, Isaac Hayes III, wrote in an X post that is no longer live that "Donald Trump represents the worst in integrity and class with his disrespect and sexual abuse of Women and racist rhetoric." Musicians who have objected to Trump using their songs at events include ABBA, Sabrina Carpenter, and Celine Dion.
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