The Isaac Hayes Estate and Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign have settled their high-profile copyright lawsuit over the unauthorized use of the 1966 soul classic “Hold On, I’m Coming” at political rallies. The joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice was filed on February 23, 2026, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, with the announcement coming the following Monday, February 24.
While the specific financial terms were not publicly disclosed, the estate had originally sought $3 million in damages, and Isaac Hayes III, the late singer’s son, stated on X that the family “are satisfied with the outcome.” The case had become one of the most closely watched disputes at the intersection of music copyright and political campaigning. It raised pointed questions about whether artists and their estates can prevent politicians from co-opting their work at rallies, even when broad performance licenses might technically cover the venue. The lawsuit alleged that the Trump campaign used “Hold On, I’m Coming” at 133 rallies across both the 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns without permission, and a federal judge had already issued an emergency injunction ordering the campaign to stop.
Table of Contents
- What Was the Trump and Isaac Hayes Estate “Hold On, I’m Coming” Lawsuit About?
- How Did the Court’s Emergency Injunction Shape the Case?
- Why Do Political Campaigns Keep Using Songs Without Permission?
- What Does a “Dismissal With Prejudice” Mean for Both Sides?
- What Are the Limitations of This Settlement for Other Artists?
- The Legacy of “Hold On, I’m Coming” and Isaac Hayes’s Catalog
- What This Case Signals for Future Political Music Disputes
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Was the Trump and Isaac Hayes Estate “Hold On, I’m Coming” Lawsuit About?
The lawsuit was filed in August 2024 in federal court in Atlanta, accusing the Trump campaign of illegal public performance of “Hold On, I’m Coming,” a hit originally recorded by the soul duo Sam & Dave and co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The suit named both Donald John Trump personally and the campaign entity Donald J. Trump for President 2024, Inc. as defendants. At its core, the complaint alleged that despite repeated objections from the Hayes family, the campaign continued to blast the track at rally after rally, treating the song as a de facto anthem without securing proper authorization from the copyright holders. What made this case unusual was the sheer volume of alleged unauthorized uses. The estate documented 133 separate rallies where the song was played, spanning two presidential campaign cycles.
That number matters because it goes well beyond a one-off mistake or oversight. The estate argued this pattern demonstrated willful infringement rather than an innocent licensing misunderstanding, which is a distinction that can significantly affect damages calculations under federal copyright law. By the time the case reached the settlement stage, it had already generated a notable judicial ruling — U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash Jr. granted an emergency injunction ordering the Trump campaign to immediately cease using the song at events. For context, Isaac Hayes passed away in 2008 at age 65, meaning his estate and heirs have been the stewards of his catalog for nearly two decades. The family’s decision to pursue litigation rather than simply issuing public complaints reflected a growing frustration among artists and estates who feel that cease-and-desist letters alone are not enough to stop political campaigns from using their music.
How Did the Court’s Emergency Injunction Shape the Case?
One of the most consequential moments in the litigation came when Judge Thrash issued the emergency injunction barring the Trump campaign from continuing to play “Hold On, I’m Coming” at rallies. Injunctions in copyright cases are not automatic — a court must find that the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits, that irreparable harm exists, and that the balance of equities favors the injunction. The fact that the court granted this relief suggested the Hayes estate had a strong legal position, which likely influenced the eventual decision to settle. However, it is worth noting that an injunction does not resolve the underlying damages claim. Even after the campaign stopped using the song, the question of compensation for the 133 prior uses remained on the table.
The estate’s original demand of $3 million would have represented a significant per-use cost for the campaign, though the actual settlement figure was not disclosed. If the final amount was substantially less than $3 million, the campaign may have viewed the settlement as a financial win. Conversely, if the number was closer to the original demand, the estate achieved a meaningful recovery without the risk and expense of a full trial. The injunction also carried symbolic weight. Courts do not always intervene so directly in disputes between political campaigns and copyright holders, and some legal observers viewed the ruling as a signal that courts are willing to take artists’ rights seriously in the political context, even when First Amendment arguments might be raised on the other side.
Why Do Political Campaigns Keep Using Songs Without Permission?
This is not a new problem. Over the years, artists ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Rihanna to the Rolling Stones have publicly objected to political campaigns using their music. The issue often comes down to the difference between venue-level blanket licenses from performing rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI and the specific consent of the copyright holder. A campaign rally held at a venue with an ASCAP license might technically be covered for public performance of songs in the ASCAP catalog, but many artists argue that political use implies endorsement and should require separate, direct authorization. The Hayes estate case illustrates why this gray area keeps generating disputes.
The Trump campaign could have argued that it had a valid license through the venue or through a blanket political campaign license. But the estate’s position — backed by the court’s willingness to issue an injunction — was that these broad licenses do not override the specific objections of copyright holders who do not want their work associated with a particular political message. ASCAP and BMI have both updated their policies in recent years to make it easier for artists to exclude specific licensees, but enforcement remains inconsistent. The practical reality is that campaigns face little consequence for using a song until the artist or estate actually files suit. A cease-and-desist letter might generate negative press coverage, but it does not carry legal penalties. That calculus changes dramatically when a lawsuit results in a multimillion-dollar damages claim and a federal injunction, which is exactly what happened here.
What Does a “Dismissal With Prejudice” Mean for Both Sides?
The settlement was formalized through a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice, which is an important legal distinction. A dismissal with prejudice means the Hayes estate cannot refile the same claims against the Trump campaign over the same uses of the song. This gives the campaign finality — the matter is closed permanently with respect to the conduct alleged in the lawsuit. By contrast, a dismissal without prejudice would have left the door open for the estate to bring the case back if, for example, settlement payments were not made. For the Hayes family, the tradeoff is straightforward.
They gave up the right to pursue these specific claims further in exchange for whatever compensation and terms were agreed upon privately. Isaac Hayes III’s public statement that the family is “satisfied with the outcome” suggests the settlement addressed their core concerns, whether financial, reputational, or both. The fact that the dismissal was joint — meaning both sides agreed to it — indicates this was a negotiated resolution rather than one party capitulating. From a broader perspective, dismissals with prejudice are the standard mechanism for finalizing settled cases. They protect both parties: the defendant gets assurance the case is truly over, and the plaintiff typically receives the agreed-upon consideration in exchange for that finality. Anyone monitoring this case for its precedential value should understand that because the case settled rather than going to trial, it does not create binding legal precedent — but the injunction ruling and the overall trajectory of the case still send a clear message to future litigants.
What Are the Limitations of This Settlement for Other Artists?
While the Hayes estate settlement is a notable outcome, it has significant limitations as a roadmap for other artists facing similar situations. First, because the terms are confidential, no one outside the parties knows whether the estate recovered anything close to the $3 million it originally sought. It is entirely possible the settlement was for a fraction of that amount, which would make the case less of a deterrent than headlines might suggest. Second, not every artist or estate has the resources to pursue federal litigation against a well-funded political campaign. The Hayes estate benefited from the clear documentation of 133 rally uses and the cultural significance of the song, which attracted media attention and public sympathy.
A lesser-known artist whose song was used at a handful of events would face a much harder path to obtaining an injunction or a meaningful settlement. The legal fees alone for a federal copyright case can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and there is no guarantee of recovery. Third, the political campaign music licensing landscape remains legally murky. Congress has not passed legislation specifically addressing the use of copyrighted music at political events, and the existing patchwork of blanket licenses, direct licensing, and performing rights organization policies leaves plenty of room for disputes. Until there is clearer statutory guidance or a definitive appellate court ruling, each case will continue to be fought on its own facts.
The Legacy of “Hold On, I’m Coming” and Isaac Hayes’s Catalog
“Hold On, I’m Coming” was released in 1966 and became one of the defining tracks of the southern soul era, performed by Sam & Dave and co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The song’s enduring popularity is precisely what made it attractive for use at political rallies — it has an instantly recognizable energy that works in a crowd setting. But that same cultural significance is what made its unauthorized use so galling to the Hayes family, who viewed it as an exploitation of their father’s artistic legacy for political purposes he had no say in endorsing.
Isaac Hayes went on to become one of the most influential figures in American music, winning an Academy Award for the “Shaft” theme in 1971 and helping to define the sound of an entire generation. His estate has been active in protecting his catalog and ensuring that his work is used in ways consistent with his legacy. The settlement with the Trump campaign is the most prominent example of those efforts, but it reflects a broader commitment by the family to assert control over how Hayes’s music reaches the public.
What This Case Signals for Future Political Music Disputes
The resolution of the Hayes estate lawsuit does not create binding legal precedent, but it adds to a growing body of evidence that artists and their estates are increasingly willing to use the courts to challenge unauthorized political use of their music. The emergency injunction from Judge Thrash is particularly notable because it demonstrates that federal courts will intervene quickly when the evidence of infringement is strong, even in politically charged cases. Looking ahead, the most likely development is continued pressure on performing rights organizations and Congress to clarify the rules around political use of copyrighted music.
Several bills have been proposed in recent years that would require political campaigns to obtain direct consent from artists before using their songs, though none have passed. If legislation like that were enacted, it would largely eliminate the licensing gray area that has fueled these disputes for decades. In the meantime, the Hayes estate case serves as a practical warning to campaigns of all political stripes: using a song over the objections of its creators carries real legal and financial risk, and a federal courtroom is not a friendly venue for arguing that a blanket license covers everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the outcome of the Isaac Hayes Estate lawsuit against Trump?
The parties reached a mutual settlement, announced on February 24, 2026, resulting in a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The specific financial terms were not disclosed, though the estate originally sought $3 million in damages. Isaac Hayes III said the family is “satisfied with the outcome.”
Can political campaigns legally use any song at rallies?
It depends on the licensing arrangements. Venues and campaigns often hold blanket performance licenses through organizations like ASCAP and BMI, but artists can object to specific uses, and courts have shown willingness to enforce those objections through injunctions. The legal landscape is not fully settled, and each dispute turns on its specific facts.
How many times did the Trump campaign allegedly use “Hold On, I’m Coming”?
The lawsuit alleged the song was played at 133 rallies during the 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns without permission from the copyright holders.
What does “dismissal with prejudice” mean?
It means the case is permanently closed and cannot be refiled. The Hayes estate gave up the right to bring these same claims again, while the Trump campaign gained complete finality on the matter. This is standard for cases resolved through negotiated settlements.
Who wrote “Hold On, I’m Coming”?
The song was co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter and originally performed by the soul duo Sam & Dave. It was released in 1966 and became one of the defining hits of the southern soul genre.
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