Beyoncé Threatens Trump Campaign With Cease-And-Desist Over Unauthorized Use of “Freedom”

Beyoncé does not approve of the Trump campaign's use of her 2016 track "Freedom."

Per Rolling Stone, Bey has warned Trump's campaign team that she could issue a cease-and-desist over the unauthorized use of one of her songs in a since-deleted video shared on social media. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung shared a clip depicting Trump campaigning while "Freedom," the Lemonade highlight featuring Kendrick Lamar, plays.

The tweet has since been removed from Cheung's X account. He has yet to address the removal of the video.

Meanwhile, "Freedom" has become the de facto campaign song for Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. On Monday, August 19, her campaign issued a new ad soundtracked by the song alongside narration from actor Jeffrey Wright. Harris first used the song with Beyoncé's permission when she kicked off her presidential campaign following Joe Biden's decision to drop out. The official launch video for the campaign also featured the track.

The Trump campaign has gotten into legal trouble with music artists throughout his three presidential campaigns. Earlier this month, the family of the late Isaac Hayes filed a lawsuit against Trump after he repeatedly used the track "Hold On, I'm Coming" at rallies, without the permission of Hayes' estate.

Celine Dion's management also renounced the unauthorized use of her song "My Heart Will Go On" at one of Trump's rallies. Other artists that have taken issue with the use of their tracks include Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Bruce Springsteen, and the estate of Prince.