Frank Sinatra’s legacy continues to live on, but his daughter, Nancy Sinatra, has made it clear she does not want it touched by Donald Trump.
The list of artists objecting to the U.S. president’s use of their music on social media keeps growing. Now, the 79-year-old Republican has followed the same path, sharing an almost four-minute clip of the late jazz icon’s song.
However, his daughter Nancy Sinatra is pushing back against the move, though she admits there is little she can do to stop it.
Frank Sinatra’s Daughter Slams Donald Trump For Using Her Dad’s Music
Over the weekend, the late singer’s daughter, Nancy, was alerted by one fan on X to a post from Trump, which the fan noted would upset her because it contradicts what the musician stood for.
Nancy did not hide her feelings about it as she took to her X page. “This is a Sacrilege,” she wrote in response to Trump’s Truth Social post of Ol’ Blue Eyes performing his famous hit “My Way.”
When asked if she could stop Trump from sharing her father’s work, the actress admitted her hands were tied.
“Unfortunately, no,” she replied. “The only people who can do something are the publishers.”
Despite being powerless to take action against the post, the 85-year-old proud daughter reiterated her father’s stance by reposting messages from fans that rang true.
One post read, “Trump may love Sinatra, but Sinatra did not love Trump.” Another noted that the actress “will confirm again that her father loathed Donald Trump.”
Why Sinatra’s Estate Has Limited Control Of The Hit 1969 Song
Nancy’s inability to take action stems from the complicated history of “My Way.” Originally a French song titled “Comme d’habitude” by Jacques Revaux and Claude François, it was adapted into English by Paul Anka before Sinatra turned it into his signature anthem.
Because of that history, the rights are controlled by publishing companies, not solely by the Sinatra estate, per Entertainment Weekly.
Additionally, simply sharing a video on social media does not require a license, unlike if it is played at political rallies or used in campaigns.
The Singer’s Second Daughter Had A Different Reaction To Him Being Featured In An Ad
While Nancy condemned Trump’s featuring her dad’s song, her sister Tina Sinatra reacted differently when their deceased patriarch’s likeness was used in a commercial two years ago.
The ad showed Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg alongside AI-generated recreations of Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. As The Blast reported at that time, Tina proudly gave her blessings to the collaboration and gushed about it.
Per The Blast, Tina described the experience of watching her father digitally interact with Dre and Snoop as both “thrilling and surreal,” adding that his legacy endures across generations.
Other Artists Who Opposed Their Work Being Associated With Donald Trump
Nancy Sinatra is far from the only figure to push back against Trump’s use of popular songs in his posts. Last month, singer Kesha condemned the White House after discovering her track was added to a TikTok video she claimed was intended to “incite and threaten war.”
As The Blast reported, Kesha called the act “disgusting and inhumane,” and made it clear that she does not want her music being used to promote violence of any kind.
The resistance extended beyond Trump himself to the First Lady, Melania Trump’s documentary “Melania.”
Producer Marc Beckman revealed in a February interview that one of Prince’s songs had initially been cleared through the company managing part of his catalog.
However, just as the team prepared to move forward, Prince’s estate intervened and blocked the usage. According to The Blast, the estate insisted that “Prince would never want his song associated with Donald Trump.”
SZA And Sabrina Carpenter Fiercely Called Out Trump For The Same Reason
The Blast previously reported that SZA and Sabrina Carpenter also joined the chorus of opposition as well.
SZA slammed the administration for using her track “Big Boys” in an ICE video that showed scenes of agents detaining individuals, as the lyric “It’s Cuffin Season” played out. She called it “peak dark” and accused officials of baiting artists into speaking out.
Carpenter’s song “Juno” was featured in a similar post, which she denounced as “evil and disgusting.” She then demanded that her record never be used to support what she described as an inhumane agenda.