Trump campaign insists it had right to use Foo Fighters song, despite band’s angry reaction

Donald Trump’s campaign says it had a license to play Foo Fighters hit track “My Hero” at a rally in which the former president received the endorsement of political rival-turned-backer Robert F Kennedy Jr, despite the band saying they did not grant permission.

The Independent has seen documents appearing to confirm that the campaign had indeed licensed the song from BMI’s Songview service. “We have a license to play the song,” a campaign spokesperson said.

Kennedy, who suspended his campaign as an independent presidential candidate on Friday, joined Trump onstage in Arizona, as pyrotechnics blasted and the Foos song played.

In a statement shared with The Independent, a spokesperson for Foo Fighters said: “Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it.

The spokesperson added that “appropriate actions are being taken” against the Trump campaign and any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.

Foo Fighters also issued a curt response on their official X account after being asked by a social media user if they had granted permission. “Hey @foofighters did you let Trump use ‘My Hero’ to welcome RFK Jr. on stage,” they were asked.

“No,” the band replied, later reposting the interaction with the caption “Let us be clear.”

“I don’t think too many of you people have heard of him, he’s very low-key,” Trump said in Arizona, before the chorus of the 1997 track began. “He’s a very low-key person, but he’s highly respected. He is a great person. I’ve known him for so long. For the past 16 months. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”

He went on to praise RFK Jr., who he said “brought together people from across the political spectrum grounded in the values