Trump Settles Lawsuit with Isaac Hayes Estate Over Unauthorized Song Use

The estate accused the former president of using the hit song "Hold On, I'm Coming" without permission in his 2020 and 2024 campaigns.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Former President Donald Trump has settled a lawsuit with the estate of renowned singer and songwriter Isaac Hayes. The lawsuit accused Trump's campaign of using the hit song "Hold On, I'm Coming" in videos and campaign appearances over 130 times without permission during the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. The Hayes estate filed the lawsuit in August 2024, alleging copyright infringement. The parties have now reached a settlement, the details of which were not disclosed.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between political campaigns and the music industry over the unauthorized use of copyrighted songs. Many artists have objected to Trump using their music at events over the years, and this lawsuit represents one of the more high-profile legal battles over such issues.

The details

The lawsuit alleged that the Trump campaign and its allies had infringed on the copyright of "Hold On, I'm Coming," a 1966 hit co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. In September 2024, a U.S. District Judge granted the Hayes estate a preliminary injunction, ordering the Trump campaign to stop using the song. Lawyers for Trump said the campaign had already stopped using the song before the ruling.

  • The Hayes estate filed the lawsuit in August 2024.
  • The preliminary injunction was granted in September 2024.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who was accused of using the Isaac Hayes song without permission in his 2020 and 2024 campaigns.

Isaac Hayes Estate

The estate of renowned singer and songwriter Isaac Hayes, which filed the lawsuit against Trump over the unauthorized use of the song "Hold On, I'm Coming."

Isaac Hayes III

The son of Isaac Hayes, who announced the settlement of the lawsuit on the social platform X.

Sam Moore

One half of the soul duo Sam and Dave, who performed "America the Beautiful" at a pre-inauguration concert for Trump and opposed the action sought by the Hayes estate.

Ronald Coleman

The lawyer representing Trump and his campaign, who said the campaign had already agreed not to use the song going forward.

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What they’re saying

“The campaign has no interest in annoying or hurting anyone, and if the Hayes family feels that it hurts or annoys them, that's fine, we're not going to force the issue.”

— Ronald Coleman, Lawyer for Trump campaign (Court filing)

“We are satisfied with the outcome.”

— Isaac Hayes III (X)

What’s next

The details of the settlement between the Trump campaign and the Isaac Hayes estate have not been disclosed, so it remains to be seen if any further legal action or public statements will come from either side.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges political campaigns face in navigating the use of copyrighted music, as well as the willingness of artists and their estates to defend their intellectual property rights, even against high-profile political figures.