Leonard Cohen estate slams use of 'Hallelujah' at Trump's Freedom 250 rally
Donald Trump had announced earlier in June that 'Hallelujah' would be performed at the opening of the Great American State Fair, fuelling the long-term feud between the US president and the estate of Leonard Cohen.
Published on 25/06/2026 - 14:59 GMT+2
The Great American State Fair, an event celebrating the United States’ 250th birthday, had a controversial debut in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night, after the estate of late singer Leonard Cohen objected to the use of his song ‘Hallelujah’ in the event’s opening rally.
The initial plans for the Freedom 250 concert at the National Mall had already been scrapped after several artists pulled out from the line-up over the fair’s MAGA links.
Donald Trump eventually cancelled the concert but even the rally that replaced it was criticised over its musical acts.
“The Leonard Cohen Estate has learned that the song ‘Hallelujah’ is to be performed at a Donald Trump rally on June 24,” a statement on the singer’s social media read. “This use is not authorized, and the Estate does not support or approve of this or any similar usage.”
The message concluded with the phrase “Thank you for your attention to this matter,” a nod to Donald Trump’s usual Truth Social sign-off.
The US president had declared three weeks ago that ‘Hallelujah’ would be sung at the rally, along with classical airs ‘Nessun Dorma’ and ‘Ave Maria’, and patriotic anthem ‘God Bless America’
Despite the warning from Cohen’s estate, opera singer Christopher Macchio went ahead with the performance alongside Master Gunnery Sgt. Kevin Bennear of the United States Marine Band.
The two men’s rendition of the 1984 song stood out from a myriad of pre-existing covers thanks to its absolute lack of subtlety.
“Not since the legendary Luciano Pavarotti has there been such a voice!” Trump said about Macchio on Truth Social earlier in June.
Not everyone is in agreement, as Macchio is a repeat offender, having already performed the Cohen classic at the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Donald Trump himself continued to use the song at numerous political rallies, despite staunch opposition from the artist’s estate, who joined a long list of musicians demanding that the Republican president stay away from their work.
In October 2024, the Leonard Cohen estate even asked Sony Music to send a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump campaign.
Because one controversy isn’t enough, the Great American State Fair’s opening night also featured a little-known country singer named Alexis Wilkins, who performed the US National Anthem on Wednesday. She happens to be… the girlfriend of FBI director Kash Patel.
The 27-year-old artist – who has 5 620 monthly listeners on Spotify – was a last-minute addition to the rally’s line-up, prompting accusations of favouritism.
“I have been a country music artist for years now. I have had a successful career in both music and commentary/strategy,” Wilkins reacted on X. “I was invited to sing this anthem on my own accord, as I have been many other places throughout my career.”
After this eventful start, the Great American State Fair is set to go on for 16 days. Several US states have refused to participate in the event over concerns related to its partisan nature.
From a UFC cage fight on White House grounds to algae in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Trump-style celebrations for America’s 250th birthday continue to prove themselves a mix of bad taste and controversy.
