Queen Is Facing An ‘Uphill Battle’ To Fight Trump Campaign From Using Its Songs
Image via katatonia82 / Shutterstock.com and Gino Santa Maria / Shutterstock.com
President Donald Trump, who proclaims himself an “expert at technology,” recently joined TikTok’s rival app, Triller, using it to boost the presence of his reelection campaign.
In one montage boasting over a million views, clips of Trump are stitched alongside footage of college footballers, with Queen’s We Will Rock You playing in the background. The video was created to allude Trump’s backing for college football season to resume during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The legendary rock group has been “repeatedly” forthright about the campaign’s use of its songs. The full version of the 1977 hit was previously appropriated without authorization in one of Trump’s promotional videos from 2019, to the band’s disdain. Back in 2016, another Queen power anthem, We Are the Champions, accompanied the then-Presidential candidate as he walked to the stage at the Republican National Convention.
A spokesperson for Queen affirmed in a statement obtained by BBC News that the band has “repeatedly taken issue with the Trump campaign” and that it has been an “uphill battle” attempting to stop its music from being misused by the team.
“Queen continues to oppose and try to block usage of their songs,” the representative said.
The band previously stressed that it did not want its creations “associated with any mainstream or political debate in any country,” including as “an endorsement of Mr Trump and the political views of the Republican Party.”
Aside from Queen, the Rolling Stones have criticized the Trump campaign for using their music to fortify his messaging, and have threatened to sue the reelection team for featuring their hits without consent.
[via Mashable, cover image via Trevor Bexon / Shutterstock.com]
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