Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, upset with Trump for using a fragment of his movie ‘Air’ in a campaign video | People

“We had no prior knowledge of, did not consent to, and do not endorse or approve that any recording or audio of air be reused in the Trump campaign as political advertising or for any other use.” This is how forceful the statement begins with which Artists Equity, the production company founded by actors and friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, criticizes the use of a monologue from their latest film in a campaign video published by the former US president and new candidate. Republican to occupy the White House in 2024.

Last Saturday, June 10, Donald Trump published a video with which he also seeks to raise funds for his campaign on Truth Social, the social network that opened in 2022 after he was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for his messages. arsonists In the new video, archival footage and photos of the former president—both from his youth and his time in the White House—are played in the background as an inspiring monologue from Matt Damon’s character in airthe film that tells the story of the Nike executives who convinced Michael Jordan to sign for the brand, an alliance that changed the course of sports fashion with its now iconic sneakers and gave rise to a multi-billion dollar industry.

“Money can buy you almost anything, but it can’t buy you immortality. You have to earn that. I’m going to look you in the eye and tell you the future, it’s an American story”, Damon’s voice is heard in the background, who plays Sonny Vaccaro in the film. That is the phrase with which a montage of just over two minutes begins in which the executive of marketing trying to convince the NBA player to accept the sponsorship with the sports brand. In the images that accompany the speech, Trump is seen getting out of the helicopter, walking looking at the camera, being cheered by hundreds of people at rallies, posing in front of the American flag, images of his inauguration day, with the troops… There are also fragments in which his wife, Melania Trump, is seen. A video that is still available on the social network and that has almost 37,000 I like.

“Did you know? Once they have taken you as high as possible, they are going to knock you down ”, says the monologue at another time. Then, accompanying precisely those words, images appear about the news of his indictment and the police records at his Mar-a-Lago residence, as well as when Trump arrived in Manhattan to testify before the New York attorney general for possible irregularities. in his business.

A campaign video of about two minutes that the actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who also served as director in airthey do not approve. “Specifically, in terms of any and all rights available to us under US copyright and intellectual property law, we hereby expressly give notice that in the event of any use of material from air by the Trump campaign where approval or consent is required, we do not grant such consent, ”says a message shared on the production company’s social networks.

It is not the first time that the Trump campaign has used content that comes from the Hollywood industry. While he was president, he used images, music, and videos from the hit series Game of Thrones or the movie The dark knight. The Republican has also been singled out in the past for putting songs at political events without permission from their authors, such as Hallelujah and We’re Not Gonna Take Itfrom Twisted Sister, or I Won’t Back Downby Tom Petty. “The Rolling Stones have not given Trump permission to use his songs. In fact, we have asked him not to use them anymore”, the group called his attention in 2016. Other musicians who since the beginning of his political career have prohibited Trump from using their songs have been Pharrell Williams, Aerosmith, Adele or Neil Young . But it is the first time that Trump and his team have used a full monologue.

Nor is it surprising the response that the producer of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon has had, especially considering how the latter has expressed himself in the past. In August 2015, the Oscar-winning actor described Donald Trump as “xenophic” and “dehumanizing” when, during his pre-candidate speech, he described Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and “criminals.” “He is talking about anyone living south of our border on inhumane terms. He is talking about my wife [de origen argentino]You’re talking about my daughters. It’s serious, that he’s doing so well in the polls and if you listen to the things he says, they’re so xenophobic and crazy that it’s unbelievable that so many people are willing to vote for him,” Damon said.