President Donald Trump has settled a lawsuit brought about by the estate of Isaac Hayes. Trump had been accused of using a song written by the soul legend without permission over 100 times at political events. The accusation by the Hayes family is one instance among many of Trump allegedly using songs without the approval of the artists who made them.
Hayes estate, Trump reach settlement for ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’
Rolling Stone reported that the estate of Isaac Hayes reached a settlement with Trump over the then-candidate’s use of the song “Hold On, I’m Coming.” The estate filed a request with a Georgia court Monday to withdraw the lawsuit, saying that the issue had been “mutually resolved” in a way that left the Hayes family “satisfied with the outcome.”
“This resolution represents more than the conclusion of a legal matter,” a statement by the estate, signed by Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, read. “It reaffirms the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and copyrights, especially as they relate to legacy, ownership and the responsible use of creative works.”
End to years-long fight over song
As Blavity previously reported, the Hayes estate has fought the Trump campaign for years over the song, which was cowritten by Hayes and David Porter for the R&B group Sam & Dave. In 2022, the Hayes family objected to the song being used by Trump at an NRA convention. “Donald Trump represents the worst in honesty, integrity and class and want no association with his campaign of hate and racism,” Hayes III posted at the time.
In fall 2024, the Hayes estate filed a $3 million lawsuit against the Trump campaign for unauthorized use of the song, citing “134 counts copyright infringement for the unauthorized use of the song ‘Hold on, I’m Coming’ at campaign rallies from 2022-2024.” The Hayes family was also granted an emergency hearing over the issue, leading to a judge banning the Trump campaign from using the song. In 2025, a court ruled that Trump had not used Hayes’ name or likeness in conjunction with playing the song, but the judge rejected Trump’s request to dismiss the copyright infringement claims in the suit.
Trump campaign used many artists’ songs despite objections
The Trump campaign was notorious for using music over the objection of the artists who made it. In addition to the Hayes estate, artists who have objected to Trump’s use of their music have included Adele, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and the estate of Sinead O’Connor, among others. Meanwhile, Trump has managed to gain the support of some music artists. These include Kid Rock, who has headlined the Trump-friendly “Rock the Country” music festival and Turning Point USA’s alternative concert during the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, and Nicki Minaj, who has promoted several Trump positions and appeared alongside the president at a recent event.
According to the family of Isaac Hayes, the late singer and songwriter would not have been among those supporting Trump, regardless of how often the Trump campaign used his music. Now, Trump and the Hayes estate have perhaps settled once and for all their dispute over the Hayes-penned song that once became a staple for Trump political events.