Lara Trump has recorded a country music version of the late Tom Petty’s song “I Won’t Back Down” in what some have described as a “cheap move.”
The estate of Petty, who died in 2017, sent a cease and desist letter to Trump’s father-in-law, former President Donald Trump, to order he stop playing that song during his 2020 re-election campaign.
But now Lara Trump, who is married to Eric, the third child of the former president, has found a way to get around that request by making her own version of the song.
Jeff Kravitz/Omar Vega/Getty Images North America
Lara Trump teased the song on her Instagram on September 15 and revealed her version would be released on September 29. A short video of her recording the song showed Trump singing the chorus of the famous song in a more country-style version.
Newsweek contacted Lara Trump by email and Petty’s estate by Instagram for comment.
But some people, including political journalist Ed Krassenstein, questioned whether it was appropriate for Trump to have made a cover of Petty’s song.
“Is this a cheap move by Lara Trump? Tom Petty’s family has asked Trump to stop playing “I Won’t Back Down” and other Tom Petty music at Trump rallies,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Now Lara Trump has gone ahead and created a country music version of the hit song and she plans to release it next week. Do you think this is a cheap move by Lara? Do you like her version of the song?”
People in the replies were divided, with some agreeing it was a “cheap move.”
“Why would anyone even want to sing or play a song when original band/singer is so forcefully against you? From a self-respect level, it makes no sense,” wrote one person.
But another disagreed: “No. She is free to do as she pleases. This is America.”
Is this a cheap move by Lara Trump?
Tom Petty’s family has asked Trump to stop playing “I Won’t Back Down” and other Tom Petty music at Trump rallies.
Now Lara Trump has gone ahead and created a country music version of the hit song and she plans to release it next week.
Do… pic.twitter.com/o9fHiUdcqL
— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) September 24, 2023
Petty’s estate released a public statement in 2020 after “I Won’t Back Down” was played at a Trump campaign rally.
“Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,” the statement from June of that year read.
“Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind. Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together.
The statement added that Petty “wrote this song for the underdog, for the common man and for everyone.”
“We believe in America and we believe in democracy. Donald Trump is not representing the noble ideals of either. We would hate for fans that are marginalized by this administration to think we were complicit in this usage,” the statement read.
Other artists to prevent Donald Trump from using their music at campaign rallies have included Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Adele, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Steven Tyler, Earth, Wind & Fire, Elton John, R.E.M, Queen and the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Panic! At The Disco. The estates of Prince, David Bowie, George Harrison and Luciano Pavarotti also stopped Trump using their music.