Isaac Hayes’ family threaten to sue Trump campaign for $3 million over use of song ‘Hold on, I’m Coming’

The family of the late singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes has demanded that Donald Trump and his campaign pay $3 million for unauthorized use of the song “Hold On I’m Coming” at his rallies and in campaign videos.

The family sent Trump and his campaign a notice of copyright infringement on August 11, according to a post on X by Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III.

Hayes died on August 10, 2008. He co-wrote the song in question with David Porter, and it was first performed in 1966 by the duo Sam & Dave.

“It has come to our attention that you or the campaign have authorized the illegal public performance of the Song on multiple occasions during various rallies for your political campaign without authorization from the copyright holder, despite being asked repeatedly not to engage in such illegal use by our client,” the letter from his lawyer states.

The alleged unauthorized uses of the song span from 2022 to 2024, the letter shows.

The lawyer, James Walker, demanded that Trump and his campaign “cease the continual infringement of our copyright and stop all unauthorized use of the Song.”

Walker demanded that by August 16, Trump and his campaign cease using “Hold On I’m Coming” and remove all videos featuring the song.

He also wants the Trump campaign to release a statement saying that Hayes’ estate “have not authorized, endorsed, or permitted use of the Isaac Hayes Enterprises’ property at any point, now or in perpetuity throughout the universe.”

Walker insisted that Trump and the campaign pay $3m in licensing fees. That sum “is a very discounted fee for the normal license fee associated with this many multiple uses. The normal fee for these infringements will be 10 times as much if we litigate, starting at $150,000 per use,” Walker