The White Stripes sue Donald Trump over “Seven Nation Army” use

Just as he said he would, Jack White has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump regarding the use of the White Stripes song “Seven Nation Army” in a video posted by the Trump campaign’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin. 

In an Instagram post Monday, White shared a photo of the suit’s opening page. He wote in the caption, “This machine sues fascists,” a reference to the famed quote on Woody Guthrie‘s guitar, “This machine kills fascists.”

The suit alleges six counts of copyright infringement and demands a jury trial. Trump, Martin and the Trump campaign are listed as defendants.

“The Infringing Trump Videos incorporate [‘Seven Nation Army’], on information and belief, to burnish Defendant Trump’s public image, and generate financial and other support for his campaign and candidacy on the backs of Plaintiffs, whose permission and endorsement he neither sought nor obtained in violation of their rights under federal copyright law,” the complaint reads.

Notably, both White and his former White Stripes bandmate, Meg White, are listed as plaintiffs, marking a rare joint action from the pair. The two have rarely made public statements together since the Stripes broke up in 2011, though one such instance was to condemn another use of “Seven Nation Army” in a Trump video during his 2016 presidential campaign, saying they were “disgusted by this association.”

Just as he said he would, Jack White has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump regarding the use of the White Stripes song “Seven Nation Army” in a video posted by the Trump campaign’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin. 

In an Instagram post Monday, White shared a photo of the suit’s opening page. He wote in the caption, “This machine sues fascists,” a reference to the famed quote on Woody Guthrie‘s guitar, “This machine kills fascists.”

The suit alleges six counts of copyright infringement and demands a jury trial. Trump, Martin and the Trump campaign are listed as defendants.

“The Infringing Trump Videos incorporate [‘Seven Nation Army’], on information and belief, to burnish Defendant Trump’s public image, and generate financial and other support for his campaign and candidacy on the backs of Plaintiffs, whose permission and endorsement he neither sought nor obtained in violation of their rights under federal copyright law,” the complaint reads.

Notably, both White and his former White Stripes bandmate, Meg White, are listed as plaintiffs, marking a rare joint action from the pair. The two have rarely made public statements together since the Stripes broke up in 2011, though one such instance was to condemn another use of “Seven Nation Army” in a Trump video during his 2016 presidential campaign, saying they were “disgusted by this association.”