Surprise at Donald Trump’s last meeting before his inauguration: the president-elect did a few dance steps to the hit YMCA by the Village People, despite past tensions with the disco group. Victor Willis, the leader, even supported Kamala Harris in 2024…
The festivities surrounding the inauguration of Donald Trump held a major surprise during a final meeting in Washington this Sunday. The American president-elect joined the Village People on stage to perform a few dance steps to their iconic disco hit “YMCA”, which has become a staple of his rallies.
However, relations between the Republican billionaire and the group have not always been good. The leader of the Village People, Victor Willis, supported Kamala Harris’ candidacy in 2024 against Trump. As early as 2020, he even asked the future president to stop using “YMCA” during his meetings, a request that remained a dead letter.
Tensions eased in the name of unity
Despite these differences, Victor Willis explained the presence of the Village People alongside Donald Trump by a desire to unite after a divisive campaign. On his Facebook page he said:
“We know that this will make people unhappy, but we believe that music must live without political considerations. Our YMCA song is a global anthem that can hopefully bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign.”
A gay anthem that became a universal hit
“YMCA,” released in 1978, quickly became a symbol of the gay community with its lyrics evoking the Young Men’s Christian Association, known as a meeting place. But for Victor Willis, it is above all a joyful and unifying anthem, beyond its LGBT roots.
-The good-natured participation of Donald Trump, known for his conservative positions, in the choreography of the title seems to go in this direction. Beyond divisions, music as a vector of unity is the bet of the Village People for this atypical investiture.
A challenge for the Trump presidency
It remains to be seen whether this spirit of openness will continue during Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. His first stint was marked by high tensions and a deeply divided America.
As Victor Willis pointed out, the challenge now is to bring the country together despite opposition. The presidential dance steps to a kitsch but transgenerational disco hit are perhaps a first sign of this. Actions must follow the symbols.
One thing is certain, the performance of Donald Trump and the Village People a few hours before the inauguration will remain as one of the most unusual moments of this extraordinary transfer of power. Far from the usual pomp and seriousness of the exercise, it will have shown another side of a divisive president. Even if it means disrupting protocol, you might as well do it with music and a smile, the Village People seem to tell us.
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