JMSN tells White House to stop using 'Love Me' in taxpayer-funded Trump ad
Singer-songwriter JMSN has demanded the White House stop using his song “Love Me” in a taxpayer-funded promotional spot for President Donald Trump.
JMSN, whose real name is Christian Berishaj, says the track was used without permission. His lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter, a formal legal demand to stop, to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Monday, Sept. 28, according to Rolling Stone.
The letter claims the ad has run on Fox News, Newsmax and the White House’s YouTube page without proper licences or authorisation. It says Berishaj would not have granted permission if asked. It also says he does not want to be seen as affiliated with the president or his administration.
Berishaj had already objected in public. On Sept. 24, he posted a statement on Instagram saying he would never authorise his music for any political agenda or campaign.
The ad at the centre of the dispute began airing on television last week. It pairs “Love Me” with audio of Trump saying “America will never be a communist country” while listing his policies. It also features Trump urging Americans to “defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America,” as reported by USA Today.
The spot ends with a clip of UFC president Dana White praising Trump as the “toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met,” according to CNN.
The White House has defended the video. A spokesperson described it as an educational and unapologetically patriotic public service announcement. The White House said it did not tell voters how to vote.
That funding is part of the dispute. The ad was paid for with public money and aired ahead of the midterm elections. The New York Times reported that government payment for the pro-Trump ad could violate federal law, according to The New York Times.
“Love Me” was originally released in 2023. It has more than 138 million streams on Spotify.
Berishaj is represented in the matter by Norm Eisen of Democracy Defenders Action, among others. His lawyers have given the White House until Thursday to confirm that “Love Me” will no longer be used in the ad.
What happens next turns on that deadline. If the White House agrees, the music comes out. If not, the dispute moves closer to court.
