Neil Young Drops Copyright Lawsuit Against Trump For Playing His Music at Rally

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Neil Young has dropped his copyright infringement lawsuit against President Donald Trump, which he filed after Trump played his music during a campaign rally.

In August, Young filed a suit claiming that Trump’s campaign had failed to obtain a performance license for his songs “Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Devil’s Sidewalk,” which were used during the president’s rally in Tulsa, Okla.

The musician said in his complaint that he “cannot allow his music to be used as a ‘theme song’ for a divisive, un-American campaign of ignorance and hate.”

On Monday, Young’s attorneys filed to dismiss the copyright case with prejudice, meaning the claims can’t be renewed. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this move is often a sign that a case was settled out of court, but neither party responded to a request for clarification.

Young, an outspoken critic of Trump, has complained for years about his music being played on the president’s campaign trail. The musician reportedly considered suing Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign over the use of his songs, but was told at the time that the campaign venues had obtained licenses for his music.

Last July, Young retweeted a video of “Rockin’ in the Free World” being played during a Trump rally at Mount Rushmore, making it clear he was “NOT ok” with it.

As far back as 2015, Young blasted Trump for playing his music while announcing his presidential bid at Trump Tower.