U.S. President Donald Trump retweeted a re-election video on Twitter with Fleurie and Jung Youth’s cover of Linkin Park’s song In the End on Saturday.
In response, Linkin Park took to Twitter to reveal that they never authorized the use of any of their music for Trump campaign videos.
“Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump, nor authorize his organization to use any of our music,” the band’s Saturday tweet read. “A cease and desist has been issued.”
The video was originally tweeted by White House social media director Dan Scavino on Friday. After the video was retweeted by Trump, Twitter disabled the video.
“This media has been disabled in response to a report by the copyright owner,” the message shown over the video on Twitter reads.
Youth also took to Twitter to say Trump “illegally” used the song in a “propaganda video.”
“Earlier today I found out that Trump illegally used a cover song that I am part of in a propaganda video which he tweeted… anyone who knows me knows I stand firmly against bigotry and racism. Much love to everyone in the Twitter community who helped get the video taken down fr!!” Youth wrote.
Linkin Park joins a long list of musicians who have asked Trump not to use their music in his campaign, including Neil Young, Nickelback, Tom Petty’s estate, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Prince’s estate, Adele, Pharrell Williams and more.
Young wrote an open letter to Trump after the U.S. president’s Fourth of July rally at Mount Rushmore, where he played two of the Canadian-American rocker’s songs.
“Although I have repeatedly asked you to please not use my music because it indicates that I support your agenda, you have always played my songs anyway at your gatherings, with no regard for my rights,” the Heart of Gold rocker wrote.
The brief letter was shared on the official Neil Young Archives website, where Young has previously condemned the American president on several occasions.
Instead of once again asking Trump to refrain from using his music at future rallies, Young, 74, suggested this time that Trump listen to the recently released 2020 update of his 2006 song Lookin’ for a Leader, in which he criticizes the current president.
—With files from Global News’ Adam Wallis
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