Tom Petty

Tom Petty Estate Sent Trump Cease and Desist Letter for Using ‘Won't Back Down' at Rally

"We believe in America and we believe in democracy. But Donald Trump is not representing the noble ideals of either," the late singer's family said

In this Sept. 17, 2017, file photo, Tom Petty of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers seen at KAABOO 2017 at the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds in San Diego, Calif.
Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File

Tom Petty's estate requested that President Donald Trump no longer play the late singer's music after "I Won't Back Down" was heard at the president's rally Saturday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Trump's team was "in no way" authorized to use the song, Petty's estate said in a statement released on the singer's Twitter page. Petty, who died in 2017 at age 66, wrote the song for the common man and would not have approved of its use in Trump's campaign, the estate said.

"We want to make it clear that everyone is free to vote as they like, think as they like, but the Petty family doesn't stand for this," the statement said. "We believe in America and we believe in democracy. But Donald Trump is not representing the noble ideals of either."

The singer's family said they sent a cease and desist letter to the Trump campaign to prevent any further use of Petty's music.

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

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