Leonard Cohen's Estate Objects to Trump's Use of 'Hallelujah'

Leonard Cohen's estate has expressed its objection to Donald Trump's planned use of the song "Hallelujah" at the Freedom 250 rally in Washington. The estate stated on Facebook that the performance of the song is unauthorized and does not have their support or approval. Trump had previously announced that singers Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio would perform at the event, with Macchio scheduled to sing the 1984 single among other songs. The White House has not yet responded to the estate's statement. Leonard Cohen, a Canadian singer-songwriter, passed away in November 2016 at the age of 82. After Macchio performed "Hallelujah," a B2 bomber conducted a flyover at the rally. Several musicians withdrew from the event upon learning of its political nature, leaving a smaller group of performers including Greenwood and Macchio. This is not the first instance of artists objecting to Trump’s use of their music; in 2020, Tom Petty's family issued a cease-and-desist order regarding the use of "I Won't Back Down" at a rally, stating that Petty would not support a campaign associated with hate. Neil Young and Sabrina Carpenter have also publicly objected to the use of their songs in political contexts.