The Leonard Cohen estate is objecting to President Donald J. Trump‘s promised — or threatened — use of the song “Hallelujah” ahead of Wednesday night’s Freedom 250 rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“The Leonard Cohen Estate has learned that the song ‘Hallelujah’ is to be performed at a Donald Trump rally on June 24,” says a posting on the late singer’s social media. “This use is not authorized, and the Estate does not support or approve of this or any similar usage.”
In a takeoff on Trump’s signature Truth Social sign-off, the Cohen estate’s statement concludes, “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Trump made a point of declaring nearly three weeks ago that “Hallelujah” would be sung at the event, at the same time he first announced that the kickoff to the Great American State Fair would feature as its big-name musical guests Lee Greenwood and Christopher Macchio, the latter of whom is scheduled to sing the oft-used and -abused Cohen classic.
Further headlines were made Tuesday when Alexis Wilkins, the girlfriend of FBI director Kash Patel, announced on her social media that she had been booked to sing the National Anthem at the event, then immediately defended herself against critics, saying she was picked to perform “on my own accord” and not because of special connections.
Trump has used the song “Hallelujah” at his rallies before, despite the song being littered with lyrics that could be turned against him, like: “You don’t really care for music, do ya?”
When Trump’s campaign was using the song at campaign rallies in 2024, the estate dryly responded by suggesting that he should use the Cohen song “You Want It Darker” instead.
In the president’s June 4 announcement about what the kickoff event would entail, in which he declared that it would be “the Greatest Rally, EVER!” and “a Rally to end all Rallies!,” he mocked the many performers who had previously backed out of Freedom 250 concerts. Trump crowed about how superior his hand-picked music choices would be at what was evolving to be more like one of his signature rallies than the “nonpartisan” events initially promised.
“We don’t want singers with no talent, but big fees to put you to sleep — we’ve told them all to stay home,” Trump wrote at the time. “All we want is you, me, a few speakers, and the Greatest Music ever played, the same Music you have listened to for years! We will have the fabulous Lee Greenwood introducing me with what has turned out to be one of the Greatest Hits of All Time, ‘GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.’”
Trump boasted that, besides “Hallelujah,” Macchio would sing “Nessun Dorma,” “Ave Maria” and “God Bless America.” “Not since the legendary Luciano Pavarotti has there been such a voice!” the president raved. Macchio’s other song picks all have references to religion or deities, whereas the Cohen song is entirely secular in nature, despite the connotations that have been placed on it by some performers as it has become popularized in recent years.
Also scheduled are “the wonderful U.S. Army Band, ‘Pershing’s Own,’ and Armed Forces Choir, and ‘The President’s Own’ United States Marine Band, with the Joint Armed Forces Chorus,” playing “all of your favorite Hits.”
When Trump was using Rufus Wainwright’s cover of “Hallelujah” from the “Shrek” soundtrack for his rallies in 2024, Wainwright responded by saying that “witnessing Trump and his supporters commune with this music last night was the height of blasphemy.”
The rally begins at 5:30 p.m. ET.
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