Neil Young sues ‘divisive’ Trump campaign

NEW YORK — Neil Young is suing U.S. President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign for copyright infringement, saying he doesn’t want his music used as a theme song for a “divisive unAmerican campaign of ignorance and hate.”

The Grammy-award winning Canadian-born musician filed the lawsuit through his lawyers in Manhattan federal court, seeking up to $150,000 in statutory damages for each infringement.

The legendary singer cited repeated use of two songs: Rockin’ in the Free World and Devil’s Sidewalk.

The campaign has used the tunes numerous times at rallies and political events, including on June 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the lawsuit said.

Young said he was not suing to “disrespect the rights and opinions of American citizens, who are free to support the candidate of their choosing,” the lawsuit said.

“However,” it added, “Plaintiff in good conscience cannot allow his music to be used as a ‘theme song’ for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”

Young first complained about the use of the 1990 single, Rockin’ in the Free World, in June 2015, when the song accompanied Trump’s announcement of his presidential campaign, according to the lawsuit.

The campaign’s insistence in a statement then that it had obtained permission to use the music only proved that it was aware it needed permission, the lawsuit said.

It said Young has voiced continuous and public objections to the use of the music.

“The campaign has wilfully ignored Plaintiff’s telling it not to play the Songs and wilfully proceeded to play the Songs despite its lack of a licence,” according to the lawsuit.

On July 3, Young lodged a complaint on the “Neil Young Archives” website, where a copy of the lawsuit, filed Tuesday, was also posted, after Trump visited Mount Rushmore for an event.

“I stand in solidarity with the Lakota Sioux & this is NOT ok with me,” he said in support of more than 100 protesters who forced the closing of a road leading to the landmark.