Pentagon Forced to Pull Drone Video After Unauthorized Metallica Soundtrack

The U.S. Department of Defense found itself in hot water this week after releasing a propaganda video featuring Metallica’s iconic “Enter Sandman”—without the band’s permission. The clip was swiftly taken down following Metallica’s intervention and later re-released with the music removed.

Metallica Pushes Back

In the original video, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is seen signing a memorandum announcing a major push for expanded drone technology—while the unmistakable guitar riff of “Enter Sandman” plays in the background.

The clip, shared by the Pentagon, was designed to highlight the Trump administration’s renewed focus on military drones. But Metallica wasn’t having it. A band representative confirmed to Rolling Stone that the Department of Defense never obtained permission to use the song and demanded its immediate removal.

Drones, Politics, and a Cultural Clash

“We were called in to rebuild the military,” Hegseth declares in the video. “Our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones while we were bogged down in bureaucracy. But that ends now.”

The clip even featured a dramatic sequence where a drone delivers the memorandum directly to Hegseth’s desk. Following Metallica’s complaint, the Pentagon quietly pulled the video from its channels and re-uploaded a version without the rock anthem.

This Isn’t Metallica’s First Rodeo

This isn’t the first time Metallica has clashed with the U.S. government over the unauthorized use of their music. In the past, the band’s songs were reportedly used during prisoner interrogations—an association the group strongly condemned.

In 2016, drummer Lars Ulrich voiced his frustration over their lack of control:
“Once our music is out there, we can’t always dictate how it’s used. But we can speak up when it crosses a line.”

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.