According to the 278-page filing submitted to the federal court in Portland, Oregon, attorneys representing Phil Knight and the University of Oregon Athletics Department allege that Donald T.r.u.m.p’s campaign used the Ducks’ copyrighted music track, “Win the Fight,” in a promotional AI-generated video without authorization. The video, which reportedly used voice clones, synthetic crowd noise, and manipulated stadium footage, appeared online last week before being taken down — but not before it went viral, amassing over 27 million views in under 12 hours.
In the controversial clip, AI-generated chants of “Freedom for the People” were layered over what seemed to be Oregon’s Autzen Stadium crowd. The video was allegedly edited to portray anti-T.r.u.m.p demonstrators as “disorganized and hateful,” while glorifying Trump’s image as “a symbol of discipline and unity.” The lawsuit claims this was not only a violation of intellectual property but a deliberate political manipulation that weaponized AI against the university’s brand identity.
“The use of our music, our imagery, and our fan culture in a deceptive political video is not only unethical — it’s unconstitutional,” said Oregon’s General Counsel, Maria Prescott. “This was a calculated act of digital theft that undermines both our university’s integrity and public trust in media.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s legal team has already fired back, calling the case “a politically motivated stunt” and asserting that the video was created by “independent supporters” not affiliated with his campaign. A spokesperson for the Trump organization stated, “This is nothing more than an attempt to censor free expression. Phil Knight and Oregon are overreacting because they can’t handle a joke.”
But Knight’s camp isn’t laughing. Sources close to the billionaire describe him as “furious” and “personally insulted.” One associate said, “Phil has always protected the Oregon Ducks brand with everything he’s got. Seeing it manipulated for political propaganda crossed a line he won’t ignore.”
The lawsuit also highlights the growing tension between AI innovation and ethics. Legal scholars believe this could be the first major U.S. case to set a precedent for AI misuse in political content. Professor Laura Chen of Stanford Law commented, “This lawsuit could establish the first federal definition of ‘AI-authorship accountability.’ If Oregon wins, every creator who uses AI-generated content could be held legally responsible — even for synthetic media they didn’t directly produce.”
Public reaction has been explosive. Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are flooded with hashtags like #OregonVsTrump, #AIPropaganda, and #DigitalEthicsNow. Some users support Knight, praising him for standing up against “digital manipulation.” Others accuse him of “weaponizing the justice system to silence political expression.”
Inside Oregon, players and students are rallying behind the university. Quarterback Dante Moore tweeted, “Autzen Stadium stands for unity and truth — not for digital lies.” Meanwhile, alumni groups are reportedly organizing fundraising campaigns to support legal fees, branding the case as “a fight for intellectual integrity in the AI era.”
As the case moves forward, experts predict it could drag out for months — possibly even years. But one thing is certain: this isn’t just a lawsuit anymore. It’s a mirror held up to America’s uneasy relationship with technology, truth, and power.
Whether it ends with a courtroom settlement or a landmark legal ruling, this story marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s evolving battle over who — or what — controls the message in the digital age.
