

Pharrell Williams isn't too "Happy" with President Donald Trump.

A lawyer for the musician filed a cease and desist letter against the president Monday after Trump used Williams' song "Happy" during a political rally in Indiana Saturday.


"On the day of the mass murder of 11 human beings at the hands of a deranged 'nationalist,' you played his song 'Happy' to a crowd at a political event in Indiana," the letter, acquired by the New York Daily News, reads.



Williams also said Trump is not allowed to use any of his music without permission.

Robert Bowers, 46, could face the death penalty after being accused of shooting and killing 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue Saturday.

His victims range from 54 to 97 years old.

Several musicians have found issue with the president's use of their songs, including Steven Tyler, Adele, Earth, Wind & Fire and Queen.



"John Cougar Mellencamp, Tom Petty and Sting all objected to then-Gov. George W. Bush, R-Texas, using their songs in his 2000 presidential campaign (Sting also objected to Al Gore using a song), Fivethirtyeight reported. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., had a particularly bad run in 2008, receiving complaints from Mellencamp, Van Halen, Heart, Bon Jovi, the Foo Fighters and ABBA before eventually being sued by Jackson Browne. During that same election, Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) called out then Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for using "Hold On, I'm Coming." Four years later, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, R, found himself in the crosshairs for using songs by the Silversun Pickups, K'naan, Twisted Sister and Survivor."

That said, musicians protesting the use of their songs at campaign rallies often have limited legal recourse, as usually campaigns or venues obtain a public performance license from music rights organizations like the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) or BMI.





The Washington Post contributed. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.