Trump Campaign Ordered to Stop Using ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’ Following BMI Email and Court Ruling

A federal judge in Atlanta has ordered Donald Trump and his campaign to cease using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” after a lawsuit from the estate of Isaac Hayes Jr., co-writer of the 1966 hit. The ruling came after U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash reviewed an emergency preliminary injunction request from the Hayes estate.

The controversy intensified when Isaac Hayes III, son of the late soul legend, shared a letter from BMI on X, dated June 5, 2024, revealing that Trump never had a valid license to use the song. Hayes III’s post highlighted the false claims made by Trump’s campaign about holding a valid BMI license, stating, "Donald Trump for President has been claiming they had a valid @BMI license to play 'Hold On, I’m Coming' for weeks. FALSE. Donald Trump for President has not had a valid license for nearly 100 days, and @realDonaldTrump has NEVER had a license. Not to mention the numerous uses before Nov. 30th, 2022."

Judge Thrash’s ruling forces the Trump campaign to stop using the song immediately, though he declined to order the removal of existing campaign videos that include it. Ronald Coleman, Trump’s attorney, confirmed that the campaign had already agreed to discontinue the song’s use, emphasizing that they do not wish to "annoy or hurt anyone" and are willing to comply with the Hayes family’s wishes.

This ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battle, spotlighting the importance of copyright enforcement and the responsibilities of political campaigns in securing proper licenses for music use.