Politics

Neil Young sues Trump committee for $10 million over 'Rockin' in the Free World' at Youngstown rally

Youngstown, Ohio • October 27, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: an acoustic guitar resting on a wooden stage next to a courthouse column

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

Rock star Neil Young sued a group associated with President Donald Trump for copyright infringement on Monday, saying his song “Rockin' in the Free World” was played without a license before Trump took the stage at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 12.

The complaint, filed against the Trump 47 Committee in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (case No. 3:26-cv-01398), seeks $10 million in damages and an injunction against further political use of the song. The October 12 rally was held in support of Republican midterm election candidates.

Young argues the song is the opposite of what Trump stands for, the complaint says, quoting its lyrics about a mother discarding her baby, addicts lost in despair and garbage piling in the shadows of prosperity, with a chorus that delivers what Young calls a savage irony about freedom not shared by all.

Young previously sued the Trump campaign in 2020 over the use of “Rockin' in the Free World” and another song at rallies; that case settled later that year, with the campaign promising never to use the song again without a license, according to the new complaint. Spokespeople for the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

Sources: Reuters (Oct 26, 2026); Rolling Stone / Variety (Oct 26, 2026).