Trump administration sued over unauthorized use of JMSN's "Love Me" in political ad
The White House received a cease-and-desist from singer-songwriter JMSN after his track was used in a taxpayer-funded ad praising Donald Trump.
JMSN’s legal team delivered a cease-and-desist to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, alleging that the administration used the artist’s song “Love Me” without permission in a promotional video that lauds Donald Trump and showcases MAGA-style visuals. The letter requests that the song be removed from all television, online, and social-media placements and that the White House confirm cessation of the infringement by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The attorneys cite the Lanham Act, arguing the ad creates a false endorsement of the President by the musician. The controversial spot is part of a trio of taxpayer-funded advertisements released before the midterms, collectively costing at least $1.7 million, and has even been rebuked by GOP figures such as Sen. Thom Tillis. The White House defends the spend as a public-service announcement, while previous incidents have seen other artists, including Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, protest unauthorized political use of their music.
Why it matters
It highlights legal and ethical issues surrounding government use of copyrighted music for political messaging.
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