A new documentary about Melania Trump has created unexpected controversy — and it’s not just about politics. The debate centers around the use of one of rock’s most powerful songs, “Gimme Shelter,” by The Rolling Stones.
At first, it sounded simple. The film’s producer, Marc Beckman, said that the band’s lead singer, Mick Jagger, was “involved” and gave his blessing for the song to be used in the documentary. That statement made headlines quickly. After all, the Rolling Stones have had a long and complicated history with Donald Trump.
But then, things got confusing.
Shortly after Beckman’s comments were published, representatives connected to the band pushed back. They said that neither Jagger nor the group had anything to do with approving the song for the film. According to those sources, the deal was handled strictly by ABKCO Music & Records, the company that controls the Stones’ early recordings.
So who is right? And how could this happen?
To understand the situation, it helps to know a little music history.
Back in the 1960s, the Stones worked with a tough and controversial manager named Allen Klein. When the band split from Klein in the early 1970s, he walked away with ownership of their pre-1971 recordings. That catalog includes some of their biggest songs — including “Gimme Shelter,” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” and “Sympathy for the Devil.”
Those rights are still controlled by ABKCO today.
This means that even though the Rolling Stones wrote and performed “Gimme Shelter,” they do not fully control how the original recording is licensed. If ABKCO decides to allow a film to use the song — and if the legal paperwork is in order — it can happen without the band personally approving it.
That appears to be what happened with the Melania documentary.
The situation feels awkward because the Stones and Donald Trump have a long history of public disagreements. Over the years, Trump used their songs at campaign rallies. The band repeatedly asked him to stop. They even took steps with performing rights organizations to try to block the use of their music at political events. Despite that, the songs were still played.
There’s also an old story from 1989 that shows how tense things once were. During a Rolling Stones concert at a Trump-owned venue in Atlantic City, Trump reportedly held a press conference connected to the show without the band’s approval. According to promoter accounts, the situation escalated so much that guitarist Keith Richards became furious, and Trump was eventually removed from the venue.
Because of that history, many people found it hard to believe that Jagger would personally approve one of their most famous songs for a film connected to Trump’s family.
At the same time, the Stones have never been extremely strict about licensing their music for films. In past interviews, Jagger has openly said that film licensing is good business. The band’s songs have appeared in countless movies over the decades.
So this controversy may not be about money or even personal approval. It may simply be about how complicated music rights can be.
In the end, here’s what seems clear:
“Gimme Shelter” was legally licensed through ABKCO for the Melania documentary. The Rolling Stones themselves say they were not directly involved in the decision. The producer says otherwise. And because of the band’s past conflicts with Donald Trump, the story has drawn even more attention.
This situation is a reminder that owning art and controlling art are not always the same thing. Even legendary musicians don’t always have the final say over how their older work is used. And when politics enters the picture, even a single song choice can turn into a national headline.