In August, the Trump campaign posted a video containing a clip of The White Stripes’ hit song “Seven Nation Army.” Needless to say, singer and guitarist Jack White was not too happy about his song being used by Trump. “Oh… Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” he wrote on Instagram in response to the video clip. “Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this.”
The next month, Jack and his former White Stripes bandmate Meg White reunited as co-plaintiffs to file a lawsuit against Trump and his campaign for unauthorized use of their song, with them also accusing Trump’s administration of six counts of copyright infringement. According to The Whites’ lawsuit, they also alleged that their prior attempts to resolve the issues were ignored.
Now, it seems the duo have dropped the case, requesting that the claims be dismissed “without prejudice” – which would allow them to refile another lawsuit in the future if they decide to do so.
The campaign video in question, which was originally shared by Trump’s deputy director of communications Margo Martin, was deleted not long after it was initially posted.
But this isn’t the first time The White Stripes have clashed with Trump over the use of their song “Seven Nation Army.” When the track was used during his 2016 Presidential campaign, the band said they were “disgusted by this association, and by the illegal use of their song.” As retaliation, the pair began selling “ICKY TRUMP” t-shirts (a play on their 2007 song/album “Icky Thump”).
Despite dropping the lawsuit, Jack remains critical of Trump and his Presidency. Just recently, after news broke of the 2024 election results, the musician took to Instagram to say that he finds it “absolutely dumbfounding” that Trump was elected again. “Americans chose a known, obvious fascist and now America will get whatever this wannabe dictator wants to enact from here on in,” he wrote, in part.
“We all know what he is capable of: Project 2025, deportations, nationwide abortion ban, ending his own two-term limit, backing Putin and his war, shutting down the Board of Education, adding to climate change, limiting LGBTQ rights, controlling the DOJ, keeping the minimum wage down, etc. … He doesn’t care about you at ALL. … He doesn’t give a damn how much you’re struggling.”
