The Trump campaign is hitting back at the Foo Fighters after the band claimed it didn’t give permission for the song “My Hero” to be played during a Trump rally Friday in Glendale, Arizona.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung used lyrics from the Foo Fighters song “Times Like These” to troll the band in an X post on Monday.
The campaign has maintained that it properly licensed “My Hero” through BMI’s Songview service. The song was played during Friday’s rally when former President Donald Trump was joined on stage by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has officially endorsed the GOP nominee.
The Foo Fighters has publicly condemned Trump’s use of the song.
“Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it,” the band’s spokesperson told Billboard, adding that “appropriate actions are being taken” against the Trump campaign.
In this screengrab, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters performs during the Celebrating America Primetime Special on January 20, 2021. The livestream event hosted by Tom Hanks features remarks by president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris and performances representing diverse American talent. (Handout/Biden Inaugural Committee via Getty Images )
Any royalties received as a result of the song usage will be donated to the Kamala Harris campaign, the spokesperson said.
The Foo Fighters joins a growing list of pop groups and singers who have been pressured by media outlets to publicly condemn the use of their music at Trump rallies and other events. They include Beyoncé, who has reportedly threatened legal action over the Donald Trump campaign’s use of her song, “Freedom,” in a campaign video; Neil Young; and the family of the late Isaac Hayes.