Eddy Grant has won a significant legal victory against Donald Trump in a copyright infringement lawsuit over the unauthorized use of his 1982 hit song "Electric Avenue" in a 2020 campaign video.

District Court Judge John G. Koeltl ruled Trump liable for monetary damages, rejecting all of Trump's legal defenses as either moot or without merit. The original lawsuit sought $300,000 in damages plus legal fees, though the final amount may be determined by a jury.

The case stemmed from a Trump campaign video posted on Twitter in 2020, which featured an animated cartoon mocking Joe Biden with "Electric Avenue" playing in the background. The video garnered millions of views and approximately 100,000 retweets before being removed.

Trump's legal team attempted to claim fair use, arguing that:

• The video was political commentary, not a campaign advertisement
• The song was "contextually transformed" by its use in the clip
• Grant didn't have copyright ownership of the track

Judge Koeltl dismissed these arguments, describing the video as a "wholesale copying of music to accompany a political campaign ad."

Grant, known for his socially conscious music, stated that using his song to amplify "derogatory political rhetoric" was "wicked" and caused him "considerable emotional distress."

This ruling adds to a series of similar legal challenges against Trump from various artists, including the Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, and Jack White, over unauthorized music use in his political campaigns.

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