Members of the Village People performed their signature song, “Y.M.C.A.,” at President-elect Donald Trump’s rally late Sunday, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony—a shift after the band’s manager once protested Trump’s habit of playing its music.
President-Elect Donald Trump dances on stage while the Village People perform “YMCA” at his victory … [+] rally at the Capital One Arena on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
Trump did his signature dance move as band members performed after Trump spoke at the “victory rally” at Capital One Arena in Washington ahead of his inauguration Monday.
Trump spoke about TikTok’s return, about 14 hours after it took itself offline as a result of a nationwide ban Sunday, and outlined some of the executive orders he plans to sign Monday, including ones targeting border security and releasing previously classified government documents.
The Village People’s appearance at the Trump rally underscores his political comeback, even among his one-time nemeses—its manager Karen Willis, wife of band member Victor Willis, sent Trump’s lawyer a cease-and-desist letter after he was filmed dancing to “Macho Man” at Mar-A-Lago in 2023, Rolling Stone reported.
Their song, “Y.M.C.A.” has since become a staple at Trump’s events.
The performances are “not an indorsement [sic] of the President Elect’s policies,” band member Victor Willis wrote on Facebook last week, defending their decision to accept the performance invitation and explaining that their preferred candidate was Kamala Harris, who Willis said “would have chosen the likes of John Legend and Beyonce, etc.” to perform.
Willis said that if Trump “does things to restrict LGBTQ rights, Village People will be the first to speak out,” while also noting that Trump “has done a lot for Village people lately,” pointing to his love for “Y.M.C.A.” that pushed “the song to #1 for 5 weeks on a Billboard Chart.”
Crucial Quote
“By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our borders will have come to a halt and all the illegal border trespasses will in some form or another be on their way back home,” Trump said, teasing an executive order he’s expected to sign Monday.
What To Watch For
The Village People—the 70s-era Disco band, named after the downtown Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village—is expected to perform again at inaugural balls Sunday and Monday. Carrie Underwood is scheduled to perform “America the Beautiful” shortly before Trump takes the oath of office Monday. Country singer Lee Greenwood, who performed Sunday, will also sing at the swearing-in ceremony.
Key Background
Trump’s inauguration day officially kicks off Monday morning with a church service at St. John’s in Washington, and his swearing-in is scheduled for approximately 12 p.m. EST. Village People are among several one-time Trump critics who will attend the inaugural events, marking a moment of acceptance of Trump’s election win that has essentially nullified his legal woes and gave Republicans a government trifecta with control of the House, Senate and White House. Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama will attend Monday’s ceremony, along with several tech billionaires, including Trump confidant Elon Musk, who also took the stage at Sunday’s rally.
Further Reading
