Neil Young slams Donald Trump for playing his music at rallies in new open letter

"Rockin' in the Free World" has been a staple song for Donald Trump's rallies over the past few years, but last weekend at a rally near Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, Trump added Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand" and "Like a Hurricane" tracks into the mix, despite Young's continuous objections.

Young initially said his use of songs at Trump's rallies "is NOT ok with me" last Saturday (4 July), and this week Young has published an open letter directed at Trump.

"Although I have repeatedly asked you to please not use my music because it indicates that I support your agenda, you have always played my songs anyway at your gatherings, with no regard for my rights, even calling me names on Twitter," Young wrote.

He added, "Because you are in charge of the COVID-19 response here in the USA, I will not sue (as certainly is my right) potentially distracting from your important work at hand protecting and saving American lives. With the enormous power you wield on our behalf, I wish you all the best in your critical battle to save American souls from this threat."

Before signing off, Young shared a song suggestion for Trump, "I suggest you listen to my song "Looking For a Leader 2020"... as I believe it would be an interesting addition to your next rally."

In another post earlier this month, Young wrote about Trump's response to the Black Lives Matter protests, "Although I think our president is responsible for a lot of this unrest we feel today as he has fanned the flames and tried to turn us against one another for his political reasons, I am thankful that we are all standing for what we believe, and I think we will be a better country for this. He is, in the end, just a poor leader who is building walls around our house. I believe he will be powerless soon and I wish him the best in his next life. That sorry man will not destroy the American Dream."