Metallica Forces Trump’s Pentagon to Pull Drone Video Over Unauthorized Use of ‘Enter Sandman’
Band’s objection exposes legal lapse in Pentagon’s promotion of Trump’s drone expansion
On July 11, 2025, the Pentagon pulled and reposted a promotional video showcasing President Donald Trump’s executive order to escalate U.S. drone production, after Metallica objected to the unauthorized use of their song “Enter Sandman.”
The takedown came after X, formerly known as Twitter, flagged the clip for copyright infringement following a complaint from the band, according to a report by Rolling Stone.
Pentagon Removes Video After Band Objects
The original video featured Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signing a memo — theatrically delivered to him by a drone — while the iconic Metallica song played in the background. A Metallica representative confirmed the band had not authorized the use of the track. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson explained that X contacted the Defense Department about the violation, prompting officials to replace the video with a silent version.
Trump’s Drone Agenda Undercut by Copyright Flap
President Trump signed an executive order in June 2025 to accelerate U.S. drone manufacturing and deployment, describing it as necessary to counter adversaries producing inexpensive drones at scale. The Pentagon video dramatized this initiative, showing Hegseth reaching up to retrieve the memo from a hovering quadcopter and signing it on camera. However, the soundtrack ran afoul of copyright law, as government agencies are still required to obtain synchronization rights when distributing media online.
Metallica’s History of Opposing Military Use of Its Music
This incident adds to a long and tense history between Metallica and U.S. military authorities over the use of their music in controversial settings. During the Iraq War, reports emerged that U.S. forces played Metallica’s songs at high volume to intimidate and disorient detainees ahead of interrogations — a practice the band publicly opposed. In a 2013 Esquire interview, a Navy SEAL who participated in those missions recounted that Metallica explicitly requested the military stop using their music for such purposes, a message he said was relayed through military channels while he was still deployed. Drummer Lars Ulrich has since spoken candidly about his discomfort with their songs being weaponized, acknowledging that while the band strongly disapproves of such uses, they ultimately have little control once their recordings are released into the world.
Artists Push Back Against Political Misappropriation
Metallica joins a long list of musicians who have rejected the unauthorized political or military use of their work. Earlier this year, organizers of a Trump military parade received a cease-and-desist over another song used without consent. Ulrich has also spoken critically of Trump’s rhetoric, comparing it to authoritarian language from the mid-20th century and urging Americans to protect democratic norms.
Strategic Messaging Derailed by Cultural Backlash
The Pentagon intended the video to highlight a streamlined, assertive approach to drone manufacturing under Trump’s leadership, portraying the administration as cutting through red tape to achieve “American drone dominance.” Instead, the legal and cultural backlash over the unauthorized soundtrack overshadowed the intended message, illustrating how ignoring intellectual property rights can undermine public communications and damage credibility.