Washington DC:
US President-elect Donald Trump held a raucous campaign-style “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” in Washington on Sunday, capping off his pre-inauguration ceremony with a bang. There, the Village People performed their iconic dance moves as they performed the disco hit “YMCA.” ”
The Village People’s 1978 hit became something of an anthem for MAGA supporters, closing nearly every Republican rally in its 78-year run. Sunday’s event was no exception, with Trump occasionally shaking his head as the Village People crew performed songs.
He also performed his now-famous dance moves, clapping his hands and swaying as he assumed the role of the seventh member of the Village People on stage.
🚨Now: President Trump dances with villagers onstage at the YMCA
This is amazing! 🤣 pic.twitter.com/BIcIJyudr5
— Nick Sorter (@nicksortor) January 19, 2025
After The Village People’s popular single “Macho Man” was performed at a Mar-a-Lago event, many Village People performances were canceled in 2023 as the band sent Trump a cease and desist letter. It was a surprise for people. They also supported Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, when it was announced that Village People would be performing at the event, the all-male group wrote in a statement posted on their official Facebook page: It should be carried out independently of politics. ”
“Our song ‘YMCA’ is a global anthem that will help unite the country after a chaotic and divisive campaign in which our favored candidate lost. So now is the time for music. I believe it’s time to unite the country.”
Known for their flamboyant stage persona and infectious dance-pop hits, the Village People rose to fame in the late 1970s, especially with their anthem “YMCA.” Over the years, the song has become synonymous with gay pride.
But for MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters, who, like Donald Trump, view music more as theme songs, fight songs, and soundtracks of memories than as works of art, the story behind the song’s origins is of no significance. Apparently not.
The MAGA event was Trump’s first major speech in Washington since his Jan. 6, 2021 speech that preceded the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of angry supporters. He said he would pardon many of the more than 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the attack.
Trump’s rally, along with his inaugural address on Monday, could foreshadow the tone he plans to adopt during his second term in the White House. In recent weeks, President Trump has embarrassed foreign allies by reciting loudly about seizing Greenland and the Panama Canal and turning Canada into a U.S. state.
