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copyright lawsuit

Isaac Hayes Estate Settles Copyright Lawsuit With Trump

The Hayes estate says it mutually resolved its copyright lawsuit over Trump campaign use of “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” Settlement terms were not made public.

By DocumentaryTube Team 3 min read
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The Estate of Isaac Hayes said in February 2026 that it had mutually resolved its copyright lawsuit over Donald Trump’s campaign use of “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” The estate said it was satisfied, but neither its statement nor the Associated Press report disclosed the settlement’s terms. The resolution is not a court finding that Trump or his campaign were liable.

What was the lawsuit about?

The Estate of Isaac Hayes and Isaac Hayes Enterprises sued Donald Trump and campaign-related defendants in August 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The case was Isaac Hayes Enterprises, LLC et al. v. Trump et al., No. 1:24-cv-03639. The estate alleged that the campaign used “Hold On, I’m Comin’” in videos and at campaign appearances 133 times across Trump’s 2020 and 2024 presidential bids, according to the Associated Press. That number is the estate’s allegation as reported by AP, not a court’s adjudicated count of infringements.

The song was co-written by Hayes and David Porter and became a 1966 hit for Sam and Dave. The court described the composition as first released in 1966.

What did the court decide before the settlement?

September 2024: preliminary injunction

In a September 2024 preliminary-injunction order, the court considered evidence about ownership and whether uses after June 6, 2024 were licensed. At that preliminary stage, it found likely infringement for post-June 6 uses and barred future use without a valid license. The order was not a final judgment after trial; the judge said the fair-use contention could not be decided on the pleadings then before the court. The September 11 order stated: “The public interest is served by upholding copyright protection and preventing the misappropriation of protected works.” That sentence formed part of the court’s reasoning for preliminary relief.

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April 2025: motions to dismiss

In April 2025, the court granted in part and denied in part the Trump defendants’ motion to dismiss, and granted Turning Point Action’s motion. This was a pleading-stage ruling, not a full trial or a final determination of all liability. The court record reflects that procedural step.

What were the parties’ positions?

The estate asserted that it owned relevant rights and that campaign uses were unauthorized. The defendants disputed the estate’s ownership showing and asserted licensing and fair-use arguments; AP also reported that Trump’s lawyers argued the plaintiffs had not shown ownership and harm. The preliminary ruling found that plaintiffs had demonstrated ownership for purposes of that motion and found likely infringement for specified post-June 6, 2024 uses, while leaving fair use unresolved at that stage. Those limited findings should not be treated as a final resolution of every disputed issue.

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What did the settlement announcement disclose?

AP reported on February 24, 2026 that the estate had announced the settlement, without specifying what the parties agreed to. The estate’s February 27 statement, issued by Isaac Hayes III on behalf of the family and estate, said the matter had been mutually resolved and that “The Estate is satisfied with the outcome of this matter.” It also said the resolution “reaffirms the importance of protecting intellectual property and copyright rights, particularly as they relate to legacy, ownership, and the responsible use of creative works.” These are the estate’s statements, not findings by the court.

The public announcement does not state whether the settlement involved payment, an admission of fault, or other conditions. A secondary docket listing reports that a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice was filed February 23, 2026, as to the claims against Trump and his campaign. The announcement and dismissal end the public dispute between those parties without disclosing the agreement’s terms.

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