EXCLUSIVE: Rolling Stones' War With Donald Trump Takes 'Sinister Turn' That Could Destroy Rockers' Future
The Rolling Stones and Donald Trump are not seeing eye-to-eye.
March 28 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones are being warned Donald Trump could revoke their U.S. visas over the band's history with drugs in retaliation for privately criticizing his wife Melania's documentary, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Frontman Jagger, 82, and his Stones bandmates have found themselves drawn into a renewed clash with Trump, 79, and first lady Melania, 55, following controversy over the use of their track Gimme Shelter in the film Melania.
A 'Strong Sense of Disbelief'
The Rolling Stones have been warned Trump could revoke their U.S. visas.
The production, which charts Melania's return to the White House ahead of Trump's second inauguration in January 2025, featured the song in an opening sequence filmed at Mar-a-Lago.
While producer Marc Beckman claimed the band had supported the project, representatives for the group have said the licensing was handled solely through rights holders ABKCO, with no direct involvement from the musicians.
A source close to Jagger pushed back on claims of endorsement, saying: "Within Mick's inner circle, there is a strong sense of disbelief around the idea that he or the band were personally involved in backing this film in any substantive way.
"People who understand how these decisions are made feel the narrative has been exaggerated, with any suggestion of endorsement amplified to raise the profile of the project rather than reflect the reality. From their perspective, it's a case of perception overtaking fact."
Sinister Turn In Dispute As Trump Camp Targets Band's Past
Insiders have claimed Trump may weaponize the band's historic drug arrests to block future tours.
Insiders said the fallout has now taken on a more serious tone, with concerns about potential repercussions from Trump's camp.
One source warned: "There is a growing belief that this dispute has taken a sinister turn. The fear being voiced is that Trump could look at ways to hit back, including targeting the band's ability to tour in the U.S. by raising issues around past drug histories and visa eligibility. It really is a sinister turn in this dispute."
Another insider said tensions have been heightened by claims the band privately dismissed the Melania project.
"The suggestion is that the Stones were not impressed with the film and made that known in private, and that has not gone down well," they noted. Trump could easily seek revenge by making life difficult for them professionally, including potentially moving to revoke visas or block future touring opportunities in the States."
The Rolling Stones reportedly hated the 'Melania' documentary directed by Brett Ratner.
They continued: "For a band like the Stones, the States is a critical market, so anything that interferes with that would be hugely damaging. That's why people close to them are taking this seriously – it's not just a war of words, there's a concern about tangible consequences for the group's touring future."
A spokesperson for the Rolling Stones reiterated the band's position, stating the use of Gimme Shelter was agreed through standard licensing channels and did not involve the band members in any creative or political endorsement of the film.
The Stones are among several major artists – including Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Elton John, and Neil Young – who have publicly opposed the use of their work in political contexts linked to Trump. Beckman defended the Melania film and suggested the Stones had responded positively to it.
He said: "We worked very closely with them on that. And that wasn't a political thing. With the Stones, they were just like, 'Oh, you're making a nice movie.' They were like able to get over the hurdle. It's not politics – it's just some story about some woman that is going from being a civilian back into the White House, and this movie looks cool, and Brett Ratner is doing a cool job, and Melania Trump is focused, and let's do it. We showed it to them, and they were impressed."
Historic Convictions Could Bar Stones Under Strict Immigration Law
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The Stones join other major artists in opposing the use of their music by the Trumps.
However, sources close to the band have disputed that characterization, describing it as a massive overstatement of limited, indirect involvement in a standard licensing agreement.
Jagger and the Stones, particularly the band's guitarist, Keith Richards, famously clashed with the law over drug use in the 1960s and '70s. The infamous 1967 Redlands raid saw Jagger and Richards convicted of drug possession but later freed on appeal following public outcry.
Bands and foreign musicians can be banned from entering the United States due to historic drug busts or convictions. Under U.S. immigration law, a conviction for a violation of laws relating to controlled substances can make an individual inadmissible, even if the offense occurred many years in the past.
