Donald Trump closes ‘victory rally’ by dancing to Village People’s ‘YMCA’

President-elect Donald Trump danced alongside 1970s hitmakers Village People astatine a rally held successful Washington the time earlier his inauguration.

His well-known “Trump dance” began trending online astir immediately, carrying implicit into Monday morning, the time he’s acceptable to go the 47th president of the United States.

Trump brought the radical connected signifier to adjacent retired his campaign-style “MAGA Victory Rally” astatine Capital One Arena connected Sunday.

He danced alongside the group, clapping his hands, pumping his fists and swaying to the to their classical deed Y.M.C.A., alongside members James Kwong, Javier Perez, James Lee, J.J. Lippold, Nicholas Manelick and Victor Willis.

American disco radical the Village People made a sanction for themselves successful the late-70s for their chant-along dance-pop hits and their colourful on-stage personas. Their champion known hit, Y.M.C.A. — widely considered a cheery anthem — has became a staple of Trump’s rallies successful the past election, on with their deed Macho Man.

During his 2024 run run, Trump completed implicit 110 rallies and would usage Y.M.C.A. astatine each rally arsenic helium exited the stage. But first, helium ever danced for the crowd. He usually started with the arms, clenched fists pumping backmost and forth, past followed by immoderate clapping and waving.

The Village People’s enactment of Trump archetypal came arsenic a astonishment aft they sent a cease-and-desist missive to the his squad successful 2023 aft helium played Macho Man at a Mar-a-Lago event.

The programme for Trump’s inauguration festivities and the Victory Rally were released connected Jan. 13. Village People subordinate Willis responded to the backlash they received to their inclusion successful the festivities with an authoritative connection connected the group’s Facebook page.

“We cognize this won’t marque immoderate of you blessed to perceive nevertheless we judge that euphony is to beryllium performed without respect to politics,” the set said successful a station connected its Facebook page aft it was announced that they were acceptable to execute astatine 1 of Trump’s inaugural balls and a rally.

“Our opus Y.M.C.A. is simply a planetary anthem that hopefully helps bring the state unneurotic aft a tumultuous and divided run wherever our preferred campaigner lost. Therefore, we judge it’s present clip to bring the state unneurotic with euphony which is wherefore VILLAGE PEOPLE volition beryllium performing astatine assorted events arsenic portion of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump,” the set wrote.

Closer to the day of the rally, the radical posted another statement connected their Facebook leafage addressing wherefore they were performing astatine assorted Trump inaugural activities.

“First of all, our performances are not an endorsement of the President Elect’s policies nary substance what you accidental to the contrary. Having said that, we bash enactment that we person a caller president present and we should each privation him good until helium gives america a crushed not to. But let’s springiness him a accidental and spot what he’s going to do,” the set said.

Trending Now

“President Obama, Clinton and Bush volition each be the inauguration and truthful volition President Biden, and Vice President Harris. So volition Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Jeff Bezos (Washington Post, etc.) and connected and on. Are you condemning immoderate of them? Or is it lone signaling artists that you judge that should not be oregon perform, and that our talents should lone beryllium preserved for Democrats?” they asked.

The radical continued: “Well, 1 antheral has done a batch for Village radical lately. His sanction is Donald J. Trump. He has brought a batch of joyousness to the American radical with his usage of Y.M.C.A. And you privation Village People to propulsion each that speech and not execute astatine his inauguration? NEGATIVE!”

“We’re doing the close happening by performing and keeping governmental views retired of this. So, delight halt pushing your governmental views onto Village People,” the concluded.

The Village People weren’t the lone radical that performed astatine Trump’s MAGA benignant rally Sunday arsenic Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lee Greenwood besides took the stage. Those performing astatine inaugural balls see state prima Carrie Underwood, rapper Nelly, state euphony set Rascal Flatts, state vocalist Jason Aldean and singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw.

—

— With files from The Associated Press