Melania producer slams Jonny Greenwood dispute as ‘a blatant lie,’ but the truth is far messier than it seems

Marc Beckman, the CEO of New York advertising agency DMA United and Melania Trump’s manager, has addressed a controversy surrounding the recent documentary, Melania. Jonny Greenwood, lead guitarist of Radiohead, and film director Paul Thomas Anderson claimed that music from their film Phantom Thread was used without consulting Greenwood. They called it a “breach of his composer agreement” and demanded its removal.

According to Variety, Beckman refused to back down and described the accusation as  “a blatant lie”. He also stated that the song “is in the film forever” and would not be removed. He also revealed that the documentary has faced music rights disputes on more than one front, with at least one remaining unresolved.

Beckman says Guns N’ Roses, Grace Jones, and Prince’s estate all refused to let their music be used in Melania Trump’s documentary. He said politics was the main reason behind each refusal, even though he maintained that the documentary itself is not a political film.

The battle over music rights reveals just how political artistic legacies have become

With Guns N’ Roses, Beckman said the band was split internally. One member agreed, saying, “You got it. Go,” but another member was against it. Since full approval from the band was required, the track could not be used. Beckman expressed respect for the band but called it a clear letdown for the production.

Grace Jones also refused due to what Beckman described as a “political hurdle.” He said he has great respect for her, which made the refusal more frustrating. He lamented that it’s disappointing “when people put politics so far ahead,” and that this sentiment directly shaped the film’s music choices.

The situation with Prince’s estate was the most direct. Beckman said they were “literally ready to go” when the estate’s lawyer stepped in and said, “Prince would never want his song associated with Donald Trump.” Beckman argued that the film is about Melania, with President Trump only appearing occasionally, but the music was still blocked. He called the decision “ridiculous.” Trump has previously praised the documentary about Melania’s life, calling her one of the greatest First Ladies ever.

Beckman also mentioned that some classic rock artists from the 1960s, whom he called “true freedom fighters,” were personally happy to have their music included, even without seeing the film first. However, the ownership rights to their music had been acquired by companies, and those rights holders ultimately blocked the usage.

Despite the refusals, the documentary did secure music from major names including Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. Melania has otherwise been making more public appearances recently, including at the White House Easter Party.