The Trump administration is facing legal action for using a musician’s song without permission in an ad accused of amounting to taxpayer-funded propaganda.
Lawyers representing singer-songwriter JMSN have sent a cease-and-desist letter, seen by the Daily Beast, to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles after his song “Love Me” was featured in the ad, which fawns over the president.
The bizarre ad, first played on Fox News last week, repeats the words “love me” from JMSN’s song over MAGA-esque patriotic imagery of flags and Trump, while the president expresses anti-communist sentiments and praises policies such as tax cuts and defending “law and order.”
The letter calls on the White House to remove the song entirely from the ad and not air it further on television, online, or on social media. The lawyers are demanding that the White House provide written confirmation that it has “ceased its infringing activities” by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The letter accuses the government of “misleading” use of “Love Me” in the ad, violating the Lanham Act, a trademark law that prohibits false endorsement or association.
“To be absolutely clear, JMSN does not want to be viewed as directly or indirectly affiliated with the President or his Administration,” the letter said. “Thus, the use of the Song in this context, as part of an overtly partisan, political advertisement, is particularly damaging, as it could cause others to call into question JMSN’s artistic independence and integrity.”
JMSN, whose real name is Christian Berishaj, issued a stronger statement confirming that he did not approve of his song being used to support Trump.
“It should go without saying that I would never authorize my music to be used for ANY political agenda or campaign,” he wrote on Instagram. “For those who are new here, this could have gone 2 ways.
“1. The President or his team reach out and ask to license the song, I respond ‘no’ and you never know about it. 2. The President illegally uses the song without asking but still the public goes full r----d and immediately assumes that a license was granted,” he added. “Obviously it went the second way.”
The ad is one of three taxpayer-funded ads put out by the Trump administration in the run-up to the midterms that have cost at least $1.7 million in total.
They have caused such controversy that even GOP lawmakers have criticized them.
“I hate it. I tell you, it feels like Viktor Orbán talking to the Hungarian people. There’s no place for that sort of thing,” outgoing North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis told NBC News.
The White House has defended spending taxpayer money to create the ads, calling them “public service announcements” akin to what previous presidents have released.
On Tuesday, CNN reported that Trump was directly involved in creating the ads, including helping select the imagery and accompanying video.
Trump has frequently faced pushback from musical artists for using their songs without permission at campaign rallies or in online videos promoting his agenda.
In June, singer Ariana Grande criticized the White House directly on TikTok after it used her 2024 song “Bye” in a video featuring immigrants being detained by ICE agents.
“Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. F--- ICE,” Grande wrote in the comments. The song was later removed from the video.
Pop star Sabrina Carpenter also criticized the “evil and disgusting” White House in December 2025 after her song “Juno” was used in another immigration raid video.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
