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Donald Trump’s campaign says it had a license to play the Foo Fighters’ hit “My Hero” at a rally where the former president received the support of his political rival and later supporter Robert F. Kennedy Jr., although the band said it did not give permission.
The Independent has seen documents that appear to confirm that the campaign did indeed license the song from BMI’s Songview service. “We have a license to play the song,” a spokesperson for the campaign said.
Kennedy, who suspended his campaign as an independent presidential candidate on Friday, appeared on stage with Trump in Arizona as pyrotechnics detonated and the Foos song played.
In a statement issued with The IndependentA Foo Fighters spokesman said: “The Foo Fighters were not asked for permission and if they had been, they would not have given it.
The spokesperson added that “appropriate action” would be taken against the Trump campaign and that any royalties resulting from this use would be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
The Foo Fighters also issued a terse response on their official X account after a social media user asked them if they had given permission. “Hey @foofighters, did you give Trump permission to use ‘My Hero’ to welcome RFK Jr. on stage?” they were asked.
“No,” the band replied, later reposting the interaction with the caption, “Let’s get this straight.”
“I don’t think many of you have heard of him, he’s very private,” Trump said in Arizona before the chorus of the 1997 song began. “He’s a very private person, but he’s highly respected. He’s a great person. I’ve known him for so long. 16 months. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
He went on to praise RFK Jr., who he said “brought together people from across the political spectrum based on the values of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, a great man, and his uncle, John F. Kennedy.”
He promised to establish a commission to investigate presidential assassinations that would declassify all remaining classified information about JFK’s assassination.
But despite the warm welcome from Trump and his supporters, the reception from the Kennedy family itself was far less enthusiastic.
In a statement from members of the Kennedy family on Friday, the support was described as a “betrayal.”
“We want an America full of hope and united by a shared vision of a better future, a future marked by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride,” the statement said. The alliance with Trump is “the sad end of a sad story.”
The Independent has asked the management of the Foo Fighters for a comment.
