Trump tries to steal Harris' campaign song – but could it backfire?

As Donald Trump steps off his plane after landing in Michigan, he raises his fist in the air to the soundtrack that has become the anthem of Kamala Harris' presidential campaign:Freedom by Beyoncé.

In a possible attempt to parody — or troll — Harris, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung posted a video on X showing the former president arriving at his campaign rally while Beyoncé's hit from her 2016 album “Lemonade” plays in the background.

Beyoncé fans were quick to accuse the Trump campaign of copying their Democratic presidential rival.

“Freedom is a song about slavery and police brutality against POC. How disgusting and despicable for any of you to use it to support this convicted felon,” one said.

Another wrote: “I know she didn't greenlight this nonsense… I can't wait for her legal team to find you.”

“You can't be serious using @Beyonce's song from the Kamala campaign!? Stealing anything has consequences,” said another.

But Trump's move could ultimately backfire if he does not get the star's permission first.

Freedom was adopted as the anthem of Harris' campaign last month, shortly after the vice president took over the leadership of the Democratic Party.

CNN reported that Beyoncé gave Harris permission to use the song until the November election.

The star, who publicly supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, has not officially endorsed Harris or any other candidate this time.

Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff received tickets to the Renaissance World Tour in Maryland last year from Beyoncé herself.

It is unclear whether Trump has obtained permission from Beyoncé's team to use the song – or whether he will face legal consequences if he does not.

Artists have a number of options for taking legal action, and in the past, some of them, including Bruce Springsteen, Adele and Neil Young, have already issued cease-and-desist orders against Trump.

Claims of copyright infringement can also be made if a politician or campaign has used a song on social media or in an advertisement without permission.

For rallies, political campaigns are required by law to purchase a blanket license from music rights organization BMI, which gives them access to more than 20 million tracks. Artists can request that their music be removed from the database.

However, campaigns can also rely on these licenses as a defense against any claims by an artist for copyright infringement.

The Independent has asked representatives of Beyoncé and the Trump campaign team for comment.

A number of well-known musicians have already spoken out against Trump's unauthorized use of their music, including Céline Dion and the Rolling Stones.

Just last week, the estate of the late singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes sued the Republican presidential candidate and his campaign for allegedly using the song Wait, I'm coming in his campaign videos.

Lawyers for the Hayes family argue that Trump owes the estate $150,000 for each alleged unauthorized use of the song, which the Trump campaign allegedly used over 100 times.

Hayes' son, Isaac Hayes III, had previously said the Trump campaign used the song at its rally in Atlanta earlier this month without the family's consent.

In the lawsuit, Hayes stated that the family is “taking legal action to stop the unauthorized use of this song. Donald Trump represents the worst in honesty, integrity and class and [the family wants] no connection to his hate and racism campaign.”

Freedom was interpreted as an anthem of “African American empowerment” and a sign of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Academic Omise'eke Tinsley, author of Beyonce in Formation: Black Feminism in Remixnoticed how Beyonce performed Freedom at Coachella and then “separated into 'Life Every Voice,' the black national anthem.” After the murder of George Floyd, it was used as a “song of hope and upliftment,” Tinsley said.

Trump's attempt to copy Harris comes despite his accusation that she is copying him. At a rally in Asheville, North Carolina, he said last week that Harris' economic plan “will probably be a copy of my plan, because that's basically what she's doing.”