Issue No. 060 · Story 01 · September 30, 2026

JMSN Challenges White House Use of Love Me

R&B artist JMSN sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding that the White House stop using his song Love Me in a government-funded advertisement featuring President Trump.

§JMSN says he did not authorize the song for the advertisement and does not want his work associated with a political agenda or campaign.
§The letter demands that the administration withdraw scheduled airings, remove online copies that use the song, and provide an accounting of the campaign's placements and spending.
§The advertisement aired across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms as part of a White House campaign classified as public service announcements.
§The White House has described the advertisements as messages about patriotism and has not publicly answered the copyright demand.

THE TAKEAWAY

Permission questions can surface wherever a recognizable work or symbol is put to a new use. One dispute centers on music in a government advertisement, while the other shows how a long-running coexistence arrangement can be tested when branding practices change.

Filing: ESCA Filings

Same issue

Baylor and Boston University Move Closer to a BU Logo Settlement

Baylor University told a Texas federal court that it has made significant progress toward resolving its trademark case against Boston University over the schools' interlocking BU logos.

Trademark