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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Kit Heren

Rolling Stones threatens Donald Trump with legal action over using band's songs in his rallies

The Rolling Stones have threatened legal action against Donald Trump if he continues using their music at his campaign rallies.

A statement from the band said they were working with entertainment group BMI to stop the US president playing their songs at events without permission.

Mr Trump used the Rolling Stones song You Can't Always Get What You Want at his first campaign rally of the year in Tulsa last week. The president also played various other songs by the band during his 2016 campaign.

The band tweeted at the time: "The Rolling Stones do not endorse Donald Trump."

The Rolling Stones say in the new statement that they "are taking further steps to exclude him using their songs at any of his future political campaigning."

They add: "BMI [has] notified the Trump campaign on behalf of the Stones that the unauthorized use of their songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement.

"If Donald Trump disregards the exclusion and persists, then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed."

The band's comments come after the family of Tom Petty issued a cease and desist letter to the Trump campaign over the use of the late guitarist's music.

The family said that Mr Petty, who died in 2017, "would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate".

Mr Trump used Mr Petty's song I Won't Back Down at the Tulsa rally.

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