R.E.M. considering legal action against Trump for using their songs at rallies

It’s not the end of the world as we know it, but it could be the end of using R.E.M. songs at Trump rallies, according to bassist Mike Mills who says the band is considering legal action.

After President Trump played R.E.M. songs “Everybody Hurts” and “Losing My Religion” at his Tuesday night rally in Milwaukee, Mills expressed his frustration and announced the band is “exploring all legal avenues” to prevent Trump from using its music.

“We are aware that the President* @realDonaldTrump continues to use our music at his rallies. We are exploring all legal avenues to prevent this, but if that’s not possible please know that we do not condone the use of our music by this fraud and con man,” Mills wrote. 

We are aware that the President* @realDonaldTrump continues to use our music at his rallies. We are exploring all legal avenues to prevent this, but if that’s not possible please know that we do not condone the use of our music by this fraud and con man.

— Mike Mills ❄️⛄️ (@m_millsey) January 15, 2020

It’s not the first time Mills or the band has railed against Trump’s use of R.E.M.’s music.

After being confronted by a lawyer for Universal Music Publishing Group in February of last year, Twitter removed a Trump video that played “Everybody Hurts” over a video mocking Democrats.

R.E.M also fought back in 2015, when Trump entered a “Stop the Iran Deal” rally to “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” a 1987 hit song by the band. 

At the time, the band issued a statement saying it does “not authorize or condone” Trump’s use of its music.