Trump Blasted in Copyright Clash with Hollywood Heavyweights
Artists Equity, the production company owned by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, has issued a statement expressing their strong disapproval of the unauthorized use of a famed monologue from their recent movie, Air, for a campaign fundraising video posted by Donald Trump.
The said video, lasting two and a half minutes, was shared on Truth Social and incorporated nearly the complete audio from the notable monologue delivered by Damon in the film. In the movie, the speech is used as a persuading factor to get Michael Jordan to sign with Nike, whereas Trump is employing it to encourage his MAGA supporters to donate money to his presidential campaign.
Following the release of the campaign video, Artists Equity stated, "We were neither informed nor did we consent to, endorse, or approve any audio or footage from Air being manipulated and used for political advertisement by the Trump campaign or for any other purpose" (via The Hollywood Reporter).
They further specified, "As per the rights accorded to us under U.S. copyright and intellectual property law, we want to make it unequivocally clear that if there is any usage of material from Air by the Trump campaign where our approval or consent is required, we refuse to give such consent."
It's not the first time Trump has been accused of unauthorized use of others' artistic creations for use in his campaigns. Numerous artists, including Neil Young, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, and the Village People, have criticized and issued cease-and-desist orders against their music being played at Trump's rallies. The former president has also faced backlash from Hollywood for the unauthorized use of clips from Game of Thrones and The Dark Knight Returns, causing copyright issues.
Despite the objection from Artists Equity, the controversial video featuring content from Air remained accessible on Truth Social at the time of reporting. The matter of copyright infringement seems minor amidst Trump's other significant legal troubles.
If you have questions about whether you can use someone’s music for your business or brand’s advertising or promotions, it’s always best to contact an intellectual property attorney first.