Isaac Hayes lost his song royalties to a bank in bankruptcy; his heirs took one song back and sued Donald Trump over it

In September 1974 Isaac Hayes sued Stax for $5.3 million in unpaid royalties. A three-way settlement freed him from Stax and gave Union Planters Bank the right to collect his royalties and apply them to his debts. By 1976 tax liens and debts had pushed him into bankruptcy. Union Planters was owed $1.76 million and held security interests in his royalties, existing and future, his copyrights and his master tapes. He and his wife listed 323 creditors. On 20 December 1977 the court approved a settlement that assigned that property to the bank. His gold-plated Cadillac sold at auction for $13,750. He was discharged on 18 January 1978 and never regained the royalty income from his compositions. Decades later his estate said it recaptured its rights in "Hold On, I'm Coming," which he co-wrote with David Porter in 1966, from Warner Chappell in 2022 under the termination provisions of US copyright law. In August 2024 Isaac Hayes Enterprises sued Trump in federal court in Atlanta, alleging the song was played at least 133 times at rallies. Trump's lawyers argued the estate had not proved ownership. On 3 September 2024 Judge Thomas Thrash ordered the campaign to stop using it. On 23 February 2026 the parties filed a dismissal with prejudice. Terms were not disclosed.