Sinéad O'Connor's estate slams Donald Trump for using her music at rallies, says she 'would have been disgusted'

The estate of the late Sinéad O’Connor is not mincing words when it comes to defending her legacy.

Upon learning that former U.S. President Donald Trump has been using the Irish singer's music at his political rallies, O'Connor's estate and longtime record label are demanding that he stop. The prospective Republican nominee has reportedly played her 1990 hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” at several recent campaign events.

In a joint statement provided to the Associated Press, Chrysalis Records and O'Connor's estate condemned the politician for his unauthorized use of her music.

“Throughout her life, it is well known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness and decency towards her fellow human beings," the statement read. "It was with outrage therefore that we learned that Donald Trump has been using her iconic performance of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ at his political rallies."

That statement adds that “it is no exaggeration to say that Sinéad would have been disgusted, hurt and insulted to have her work misrepresented in this way by someone who she herself referred to as a ‘biblical devil,'" and concludes with the demand that "Donald Trump and his associates desist from using her music immediately.”

Representatives for O'Connor did not immediately respond to EW's request for further comment.

The Irish singer-songwriter, who unexpectedly died at age 56 in July 2023, is a pop legend for both her music and fearless reputation. Along with selling millions of records and releasing one of the most famous music videos of all time, O’Connor never shied away from controversy and frequently voiced her political beliefs. In a 2020 interview with Hot Press, republished shortly after her death, O’Connor spoke at length about her contempt for then-President Trump.

"I actually do believe Donald Trump is the biblical devil, the f----,” she said at the time. “He’s not playing. Nobody should think he’s doing this just so he can get elected. He is devilish enough that he believes in this stuff. They should have dragged him out of the White House at the point he separated the first child from their parents at the Mexican border... They should be non-violently dragging him out of the office. They should be going to him – like they did with Nixon – and saying, ‘You’re not fit for the f---ing office, get out. Pretend you’ve had a heart-attack, a series of mini-strokes, whatever you want, but get the f--- out!’”

Trump, who served as the 45th U.S. president from 2017 to 2021, is currently running for reelection in the 2024 presidential race. Since the start of his first term, Trump has been impeached twice and indicted in several states on felony counts such as falsifying business records, mishandling classified documents, conspiracy and racketeering. With this statement from O’Connor’s estate, she becomes yet another entry in a long list of musicians who have spoken out against his use of their music.

In 2018, Pharrell sent Trump a cease and desist letter for the use of his single “Happy,” while Tom Petty’s family protested the use of “I Won’t Back Down” at the president’s rally in 2020. Most recently, Johnny Marr took to social media after learning that The Smiths 1984 hit “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” was played at a Republican event in South Dakota.

Other artists who have publicly slammed Trump for using their songs include Adele, Guns N’ Roses, Aerosmith, Neil Young, Rihanna, Ozzy Osbourne, Nickelback, Panic! at the Disco, Queen, R.E.M, and the estates of Laura Branigan, Prince, and George Harrison. Despite not having permission, Trump has continued to play many of said songs while out on the campaign trail.

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