It looks like Donald Trump is being called out yet again for using a song at his rally that the artists were not very fond of. Musician Rufus Wainwright said he was utterly
“mortified”
when he caught wind that the Republican presidential nominee played his cover of Leonard Cohen’s
“Hallelujah”
during a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday.
“The song ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen has become an anthem dedicated to peace, love and acceptance of the truth,”
Wainwright said in a statement posted to X on Tuesday.
“I’ve been supremely honored over the years to be connected with this ode to tolerance. Witnessing Trump and his supporters commune with this music last night was the height of blasphemy.”
Wainwright is recognized for his rendition of Cohen’s iconic song, originally written in 1984. Wainwright’s 2001 cover was also featured in the Shrek soundtrack.
Trump played Wainwright’s cover of
“Hallelujah”
during a town hall in Pennsylvania, where he
“bizarrely”
spent almost 40 minutes just listening to music instead of answering questions, Wainwright described in his statement.
“Turn it up. Great song,”
Trump said to his supporters as the song was playing. Cohen’s estate has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump campaign, according to Rolling Stone.
This isn’t the first time Trump has been told he can’t use a song at his rallies. Last month, a federal judge in Georgia ordered the Trump campaign to stop playing Isaac Hayes’ soul classic
“Hold On, I’m Comin’”
at their events.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
