Brian May has finally responded after discovering that Queen’s deeply emotional anthem Who Wants to Live Forever was used without permission in a social media post connected to former U.S. President Donald Trump. The post accompanied the unveiling of a new painting titled MAGA Symphony, created by artist Jon McNaughton, depicting Trump conducting an orchestra made up of prominent pro-Trump figures, including Elon Musk and Charlie Kirk. The symbolism was unmistakable: a political vision framed as musical harmony, amplified by one of Queen’s most haunting compositions.
For May, the moment was not just about politics. It was about ownership, meaning, and the unexpected collision between art and power.
“Our Music… Without Permission”
In an Instagram Reel addressing the situation, May acknowledged the flood of messages from fans asking for his reaction. Calm but deliberate, he pointed out that Queen’s music had been used without authorization on Truth Social, the platform where Trump originally shared the painting. The choice of Who Wants to Live Forever—a song written for the film Highlander and forever associated with themes of mortality, legacy, and emotional endurance—added an unmistakable layer of gravity to the post.
Yet something else caught his attention. May revealed that Instagram had muted the audio of his response video in multiple regions, creating a strange irony: the same song used freely elsewhere was now being silenced in his own attempt to address it.
A Painting That Turned Politics Into Performance
Rather than immediately condemning or endorsing the post, May described the painting itself—an imagined orchestra of political figures unified under Trump’s direction. But instead of delivering a verdict, he did something unexpected. He turned the question outward.
He asked his followers directly how they felt.
Was it inspiring? Appealing? Laughable? Patriotic? Narcissistic? Beautiful? Or inappropriate?
He didn’t dictate the answer. He opened the floor.
In doing so, May shifted the moment from confrontation to reflection, allowing fans to confront their own emotional response to seeing Queen’s music placed inside a political narrative it was never written for.
A Silence That Speaks Louder Than Outrage
More than 3,500 comments flooded the post within hours, many expressing frustration, disappointment, or anger. Yet May himself remained carefully neutral, neither escalating the conflict nor dismissing its significance. His restraint carried its own weight. He wasn’t indifferent. He was deliberate.
It reflected a deeper truth about Queen’s legacy. Their music was never designed to belong to any political movement. It belonged to human emotion itself.
A Larger Context Behind the Moment
This incident arrives at a time when May has already expressed concern about the political atmosphere in the United States. In a recent interview, he admitted that the current climate played a role in Queen’s hesitation to tour there again, describing the country as a more uncertain environment than in the past.
It wasn’t just about safety. It was about meaning. About what it feels like to bring music into a space charged with division rather than unity.
When Music Escapes Its Creator
Queen’s songs were written to outlive moments, outlive trends, and outlive even the people who created them. But moments like this reveal something unexpected. Even timeless music can suddenly be pulled into the present, reshaped by forces beyond the artist’s control.
Brian May didn’t respond with anger. He responded with a question.
And sometimes, that question says more than any answer ever could.
My new painting “MAGA Symphony.” It’s the sound of a nation waking up and remembering who it is. When Americans pull together and trust a shared vision, they create something strong, lasting, and bigger than any one person. This is the MAGA symphony of our time.… pic.twitter.com/xxrlSbGZRp
— JonMcNaughtonart (@mcnaughtonpaint) January 22, 2026
