In a recent ruling, a federal judge in Atlanta has ordered former President Donald Trump and his campaign to halt the usage of the song "Hold On, I'm Coming" while the family of one of the song's co-writers pursues a lawsuit over its unauthorized use. The estate of Isaac Hayes Jr., who co-wrote the hit song, filed a lawsuit last month accusing Trump, his campaign, and several allies of copyright infringement and seeking damages.

Following a hearing on the estate's request for an emergency preliminary injunction, U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash made the decision that Trump must cease using the song. However, the request to remove any existing videos containing the song was denied. Ronald Coleman, an attorney for Trump, stated that the campaign had already agreed not to use the song in the future, emphasizing their intention not to cause annoyance or harm. Coleman expressed gratitude that the judge recognized the limitations of his power and refrained from ordering the removal of existing videos.

Isaac Hayes III, son of the late Isaac Hayes Jr., expressed his appreciation for the judge's ruling, stating he was "very grateful and happy" with the decision. Hayes III hopes that this case will serve as a catalyst for other artists who do not wish to have their music used by Donald Trump or other political entities. He urged fellow musicians to continue advocating for music artists' rights and copyright protection.

This is not the first instance of artists and their heirs objecting to Trump's use of their songs during his events. Celine Dion's team previously issued a statement regarding the use of her song "My Heart Will Go On" at a Trump campaign rally in Montana, clarifying that Dion did not endorse its use and that it was unauthorized. Prior to the 2020 election, a long list of artists including Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty, Neil Young, Eddy Grant, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M., and Guns N' Roses also voiced their objections to Trump using their songs.

As the legal battle continues, the ruling provides a temporary victory for the estate of Isaac Hayes Jr., shedding light on the importance of protecting artists' rights and ensuring proper authorization for the use of copyrighted material in political campaigns.