The song became the improbable signature soundtrack at Trump’s campaign rallies.
President-elect Donald Trump closed his final victory rally on Sunday evening heading into Inauguration Day perfecting his production. This time, bringing on onstage Village People to conduct their high-energy disco hit and dance with him.
During the course of his 2024 campaign run, Trump concluded over 110 rallies delivering his signature move as he exited the stage — a double closed fist arm punch with shaking hips — to Village People’s iconic song, “Y.M.C.A.”
The jig has been coined the ‘Trump Dance’ with several athletes, social media users and supporters jumping on the bandwagon to what some claim as the hottest trend since Trump declared victory in the 2024 election.
President-elect Donald Trump dances as the Village People perform during a rally the day before he is scheduled to be inaugurated for a second term, in Washington, Jan. 19, 2025.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
At times, Trump would be seen throwing in a point to the crowd, a wave or even a golf swing while his supporters erupted celebrating his often long-winded remarks full of promises he hoped to bring to his upcoming administration.
As the crowd heard the lyrics “there’s no need to feel down… pick yourself off the ground” on Sunday, they went wild bopping along throughout the Capital One Area in Washington, D.C.
President-elect Donald Trump dances as the Village People perform during a rally the day before he is scheduled to be inaugurated for a second term, in Washington, Jan. 19, 2025.
Trump swayed to the tune offering his signature move as Village People delivered a catchy choreographed performance.
Supporters waved signs, tossed their hands up in the air to the key letters and cheered to close out Trump’s campaign era.
President-elect Donald Trump dances as the Village People perform during a rally the day before he is scheduled to be inaugurated for a second term, in Washington, Jan. 19, 2025.
Some even changed Y.M.C.A. to M.A.G.A as a way of celebrating Trump’s slogan.
Village People are no stranger to Trump as their hit Macho Man is also on the president-elect’s playlist; however, the history between the two has been murky.
Members of the Village People, with President-elect Donald Trump, left, perform “Y.M.C.A” at a rally ahead of the 60th Presidential Inauguration, Jan. 19, 2025, in Washington.
The group once delivered Trump a cease-and-desist letter for using its track at his rallies. Fast-forward, the band is performing all weekend long at various of Trump’s inauguration festivities.
“Our music is all-inclusive and certainly everyone is entitled to do the Y.M.C.A dance, regardless of their political affiliation,” the group previously wrote on Facebook.
“Having said that, we certainly don’t endorse his use as we’d prefer our music be kept out of politics.”
The ‘Trump dance’ originates back to October 2020 when Trump tried to stress his recovery following his COVID-19 diagnosis by delivering a few shimmy shakes during a rally in Florida.
The Village People’s appearance at Trump’s final victory rally adds to a star-studded inauguration lineup, including Carrie Underwood, who is performing during Trump’s swearing-in on Inauguration Day.
