The 1970s disco band Village People has finally requested that Donald Trump cease using their music without their permission.
According to sources, the former president received a cease-and-desist letter from the wife of one of the band members on Monday.
At his events and rallies, Mr. Trump has used songs from the band including “YMCA” and “Macho Man” for years.
The cease-and-desist order was addressed to the former president because of a video showing him with a group of musicians who closely resembled the Village People dancing to “Macho Man” at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Following the video’s widespread social media sharing, the band’s supporters began claiming that they were endorsing Mr. Trump. The band realized then that things had gone too far. They have now requested that he refrain from employing impersonators to play their songs at rallies and occasions like Mar-a-Lago.
The band said in the cease-and-desist letter to Mr. Trump that they had previously “tolerated” his usage of their music, and they threatened to sue the former president if he continued to do so.
On Monday, Karen Willis, the band’s manager and the wife of lead singer Victor Willis, issued a letter to Mr. Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina.
Following the release of the film, “many fans, and the general public as well, mistakenly believe” that the actual Village People performed at Mar-a-Lago, she said, adding that the performance was “unauthorized.”
However, the former president’s attorney Joe Tacopina was quoted saying by TMZ that “I will only deal with the attorney of the Village People if they have one, not the wife of one of the members”.
The Village People lead singer sent Trump a cease and desist over a performance of "Macho Man" at Mar-a-Lago: pic.twitter.com/meHYWMOjgf
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) May 15, 2023
He also added that “they [the members of the band] should be thankful that Trump allowed them to get their name back in the press. I haven’t heard their name in decades. Glad to hear they are still around”.
