President-elect Donald Trump danced alongside Nineteen Seventies hitmakers Village Individuals at a rally held in Washington the day earlier than his inauguration.
His well-known “Trump dance” started trending on-line nearly instantly, carrying over into Monday morning, the day he’s set to develop into the forty seventh president of the USA.
Trump introduced the group on stage to shut out his campaign-style “MAGA Victory Rally” at Capital One Enviornment on Sunday.
He danced alongside the group, clapping his arms, pumping his fists and swaying to the to their traditional hit Y.M.C.A., alongside members James Kwong, Javier Perez, James Lee, J.J. Lippold, Nicholas Manelick and Victor Willis.
American disco group the Village Individuals made a reputation for themselves within the late-70s for his or her chant-along dance-pop hits and their vibrant on-stage personas. Their greatest identified hit, Y.M.C.A. — extensively thought of a homosexual anthem — has grew to become a staple of Trump’s rallies within the final election, together with their hit Macho Man.
Throughout his 2024 marketing campaign run, Trump accomplished over 110 rallies and would use Y.M.C.A. at every rally as he exited the stage. However first, he at all times danced for the group. He often began with the arms, clenched fists pumping forwards and backwards, then adopted by some clapping and waving.
The Village Individuals’s help of Trump first got here as a shock after they despatched a cease-and-desist letter to the his crew in 2023 after he performed Macho Man at a Mar-a-Lago occasion.
Get every day Nationwide information
Get the day’s prime information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
This system for Trump’s inauguration festivities and the Victory Rally have been launched on Jan. 13. Village Individuals member Willis responded to the backlash they acquired to their inclusion within the festivities with an official assertion on the group’s Fb web page.
“We all know this received’t make a few of you content to listen to nonetheless we consider that music is to be carried out with out regard to politics,” the band stated in a submit on its Fb web page after it was introduced that they have been set to carry out at one in all Trump’s inaugural balls and a rally.
“Our music Y.M.C.A. is a worldwide anthem that hopefully helps deliver the nation collectively after a tumultuous and divided marketing campaign the place our most popular candidate misplaced. Subsequently, we consider it’s now time to deliver the nation along with music which is why VILLAGE PEOPLE might be acting at numerous occasions as a part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump,” the band wrote.
Nearer to the date of the rally, the group posted one other assertion on their Fb web page addressing why they have been acting at numerous Trump inaugural actions.
“Initially, our performances should not an endorsement of the President Elect’s insurance policies it doesn’t matter what you say on the contrary. Having stated that, we do help that we’ve a brand new president now and we should always all want him properly till he provides us a motive to not. However let’s give him an opportunity and see what he’s going to do,” the band stated.
“President Obama, Clinton and Bush will all attend the inauguration and so will President Biden, and Vice President Harris. So will Mark Zuckerberg (Fb), Jeff Bezos (Washington Publish, and so on.) and on and on. Are you condemning any of them? Or is it solely recording artists that you just consider that ought to not attend or carry out, and that our abilities ought to solely be preserved for Democrats?” they requested.
The group continued: “Properly, one man has finished quite a bit for Village individuals these days. His identify is Donald J. Trump. He has introduced quite a lot of pleasure to the American individuals together with his use of Y.M.C.A. And also you need Village Individuals to push all that apart and never carry out at his inauguration? NEGATIVE!”
“We’re doing the best factor by performing and retaining political opinions out of this. So, please cease pushing your political opinions onto Village Individuals,” the concluded.
The Village Individuals weren’t the one those that carried out at Trump’s MAGA model rally Sunday as Child Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus and Lee Greenwood additionally took the stage. These acting at inaugural balls embody nation star Carrie Underwood, rapper Nelly, nation music band Rascal Flatts, nation singer Jason Aldean and singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw.
—
— With information from The Related Press
© 2025 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
