In the latest episode of “Who Used My Song Without Permission?”, Beyoncé, the reigning queen of music, could be the next in line to drop the legal hammer on Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. Yep, you heard that right—Beyoncé might just be coming for Trump, and no, it’s not because of his dance moves. Spoiler alert: They’re not exactly “Single Ladies”-worthy.
The 42-year-old superstar is reportedly considering sending a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump Campaign after Steven Cheung, the campaign’s spokesperson, decided to treat himself to a little “Freedom.” And by “Freedom,” I mean Beyoncé’s iconic anthem—perfect for anyone, really, unless you’re trying to soundtrack a video of Donald Trump awkwardly disembarking a plane. What’s next, a remix of “Run the World (Girls)” for his next rally? The irony would be delicious.
Apparently, Vice President Kamala Harris has been using the same song since her campaign launch—with permission (because that’s what responsible adults do). Harris even had a stripped-down version of “Freedom” playing at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Beyoncé was probably like, “Yeah, Kamala, you can totally use my song—just don’t let it end up in any campaign video involving spray tans and airplane stairs, okay?”
But wait—this is where things get spicier than a Beyoncé visual album drop at midnight. A source told Rolling Stone that Queen Bey has not given the Trump campaign permission to use her song. So naturally, when a 13-second video of Trump strutting in Michigan to “Freedom” hit the internet on August 20, you could practically hear Beyoncé screaming, “Oh no, you didn’t!” all the way from Houston.
Trump, of course, is no stranger to playing the greatest hits… without asking. Just last week, his campaign got slapped with a lawsuit from Isaac Hayes Enterprises for using the song “Hold On, I’m Comin'”—because nothing screams “Make America Great Again” like completely disregarding copyright laws, right?
And if you think that’s the end of the Trump Campaign Music Hijacking Saga™️, hold on to your wigs. Celine Dion’s team recently rose from the icy waters of the Atlantic (Titanic reference, check) to let the world know that no, “My Heart Will Go On” was not authorized for Trump’s rallies. So while the crowds may be waving little flags to “My Heart Will Go On,” Celine is probably somewhere screaming, “Oh, le non!”
At this rate, Trump might as well start holding rallies in complete silence because every artist whose song he’s used without permission is ready to bring out the legal artillery. It’s only a matter of time before Weird Al Yankovic chimes in with, “Yeah, you can’t use ‘Eat It’ either.”
