Leonard Cohen Estate Objects to 'Hallelujah' Use at Trump's America 250 Rally

Summary

Before a single note played, the Leonard Cohen estate had already issued its objection. In a preemptive statement released Wednesday ahead of the Freedom 250 kickoff rally on the National Mall, the estate said it had not authorized the use of 'Hallelujah' at a Donald Trump event and opposed the performance. The move was notable for its timing: rights-holders usually push back after the fact, once a Trump event has already used their music. Doing it in advance was a first. The rally itself, billed as the opening salvo of weeks of festivities marking America's 250th birthday, featured a stealth bomber flyover, military bands, and a presidential address from Trump. Several musical acts that had been expected to perform dropped out in the days beforehand. Critics, including some who spoke to PBS NewsHour, argued that Trump was converting a national commemorative event into something closer to a campaign rally, using patriotic pageantry to boost his own image and his party's standing ahead of November's congressional elections. The Cohen estate's statement put the evening's cultural flashpoint on record before the fireworks even began.