The Rolling Stones are hoping to get some satisfaction in their quest to stop President Donald Trump from playing their classic song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at his political rallies.
The British rock legends’ legal team has enlisted performing-rights organization BMI to inform the president that if he doesn’t cease his unauthorized use of their music at campaign gatherings, he’ll face legal action. President Trump most recently played “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at his June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
A statement issued by the band reads, “This could be the last time President Donald Trump uses Stones songs. Despite cease & desist directives to Donald Trump in the past, the Rolling Stones are taking further steps to exclude him using their songs at any of his future political campaigning.”
The statement continues, “BMI has notified the Trump campaign on behalf of the Stones that the unauthorized use of their songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement. If Donald Trump disregards the exclusion and persists, then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo.”
President Trump began using “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” in 2016 while he was running for president, and has continued doing so ever since. At the time, The Rolling Stones issued a statement declaring that they didn’t endorse Trump and asking him to stop his unauthorized use of their music, a request that was ignored.
A BMI spokesperson tells Deadline that, while the Trump campaign has a license giving it access to more than 15 million BMI musical works for use during campaign events, a spokesperson clarifies, “There is a provision…that allows BMI to exclude musical works from the license if a songwriter or publisher objects to its use by a campaign.”
