Musician Kenny Loggins issued a statement Monday requesting his music be removed from an AI-generated video President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account.
By Hollie Silverman and Jenna Sundel
The video posted by the president Saturday portrayed him wearing a crown in a jet labeled "King Trump" while dumping brown sludge on a crowd of protesters.
The song in the video clip was Loggins' song "Danger Zone," famously used in the 1986 movie Top Gun, a statement from the musician said. The song was also used in the 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.
Why It Matters
Crowds of protesters marched and rallied in cities across the United States on Saturday for “No Kings” demonstrations against what participants see as the government’s drift into authoritarianism under Trump.
Trump has posted dozens of synthetic media, including AI-generated content, on his Truth Social account since returning to office in January, NBC News reported. Past examples include an image posted in January of Trump taking a selfie with a lion and a video posted in September that shows Trump shaking the hand of the man in the Cracker Barrel logo before the two dance together to "YMCA."
Kenny Loggins Responds to Trump's AI Video: What We Know
“This is an unauthorized use of my performance of ‘Danger Zone.’ Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately," Loggins said in a statement.
Loggins continued, “I can’t imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us."
Loggins said he wants music to be used to unite rather than divide people.
Trump Responds to 'No Kings' Protest With AI Video
The 19-second video shows Trump dropping the brown sludge on a group of protesters gathered in a city. One of participants appears to resemble liberal influencer Harry Sisson.
"Can a reporter please ask Trump why he posted an AI video of himself dropping poop on me from a fighter jet? That would be great thanks," Sisson posted on X. Vice President JD Vance replied, "I’ll ask him for you Harry."
"The president, the VP going after private citizens because they disagree with them is pathetic," Sisson said in a TikTok video reacting to Vance's response.
Trump called the protests "a joke" in comments to reporters on Sunday.
“I’m not a king. I work my ass off to make our country great. That’s all it is. I’m not a king at all,” Trump said.
How Many People Participated in the 'No Kings' Protest?
The "No Kings" organizers said nearly 7 million people attended the protests in over 2,700 cities and towns across all 50 states.
What People Are Saying
Kenny Loggins, in a statement: "Too many people are trying to tear us apart, and we need to find new ways to come together. We’re all Americans, and we’re all patriotic. There is no ‘us and them’ – that’s not who we are, nor is it what we should be. It’s all of us. We’re in this together, and it is my hope that we can embrace music as a way of celebrating and uniting each and every one of us.”
Liberal influencer Harry Sisson, in a TikTok: "Unfortunately for Donald Trump and JD Vance, this will not stop me. This will not silence me."