R.E.M. wants President Donald Trump’s hands off their music, thank you very much.
The publisher of the rock band asked Twitter to remove a video Trump tweeted of his State of the Union speech that included their hit song “Everybody Hurts” late Friday night, according to CNBC. The video was originally created by pro-Trump Twitter account @CarpeDonktum.
Mike Mills, the band’s bass guitarist, called the makers of the video “assholes” when he first caught wind of it and asked Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to take it down.
The assholes @CarpeDonktum created the meme. #PresidentAsshole retweeted it. Measures have been taken to stop it. @jack you need to get on this.
— Mike Mills (@m_millsey) February 15, 2019
HuffPo reporter Yashar Ali later noted that the video was no longer available to view.
Looks like REM (or their publisher) has filed a takedown notice with Twitter. The video that POTUS tweeted is no longer available. pic.twitter.com/9IzmPkNfHa
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) February 16, 2019
CNBC confirmed on Saturday that a lawyer for Universal Music Publishing Group successfully got Twitter to remove the video.
Meanwhile, R.E.M.’s official Twitter account made their feelings about Trump crystal- clear.
World Leader PRETEND!!! Congress, Media–ghost this faker!!! Love, R.E.M. @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/KlqXrvRZ4D
— R.E.M. HQ (@remhq) February 16, 2019
I just can’t wrap my head around the intersection of a Trump supporter and who is also a REM fan. I think I’m loosing my religion.
These Russians just don’t have any respect for our intellectual property laws!
Hooray we’re all free now?
He can keep using the video of Ted Nugent ratfucking the chicken. And he should…it fits!
I just wish R.E.M. had made it clear they wanted it taken down because it was incredibly stupid and the copyright infringement was a means to that end. They kind of imply that but there’s really no such thing as being too clear.