The rock duo The White Stripes have filed a lawsuit against GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign for the unauthorized use of their hit song “Seven Nation Army” in a now-deleted campaign video.
Jack White, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, shared the front cover of the lawsuit, filed in New York District Court, on his Instagram account Tuesday. He captioned it, “This machine sues fascists,” a nod to folk legend Woody Guthrie’s famous phrase “This machine kills fascists,” which was inscribed on Guthrie’s guitar.
Drummer Meg White is also listed as a plaintiff in the case, accusing Trump and his campaign of “flagrant misappropriation.” The suit seeks unspecified financial damages and a court order to stop Trump from using their music in the future.
Neither a Trump campaign spokesperson nor a legal representative for the former president have responded to requests for comment.
Jack White had hinted at the impending lawsuit a week earlier when a Trump staffer posted the video on social media on August 29. White took to Instagram, writing: “Don’t even think about using my music, you fascists. Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others).”
In the lawsuit, The White Stripes emphasize that they had previously “publicly denounced” Trump’s use of the same song during his 2016 campaign and stated their strong opposition to both his past policies and his current presidential bid.
The White Stripes join a long list of artists, including Abba, Isaac Hayes, Eddy Grant, Neil Young, Beyoncé, and Celine Dion, who have taken legal action against Trump for unauthorized use of their music.
Originally released in 2003, “Seven Nation Army” became a global hit, evolving beyond its garage-rock roots to become a popular sports anthem, most famously adopted as the unofficial anthem for Italy’s national soccer team.