Overview
- At an event at SUNY Rockland on May 22, 2026, President Trump called the Village People song Y.M.C.A. the “gay national anthem,” said it helped him win gay votes, and signaled production to raise the track as he prepared his signature dance.
- Trump acknowledged that First Lady Melania Trump has urged him to stop dancing in public, but he proceeded to cue the song and teased the routine despite her objections.
- Village People lyricist and lead singer Victor Willis has publicly rejected the song’s label as a gay anthem and previously warned he would pursue legal action against outlets that make that claim.
- Willis has also said the song regained commercial momentum from Trump’s use and estimated millions in gross revenue tied to the track’s renewed prominence.
- The episode highlights a broader clash between the president’s use of pop music as political branding and the band’s objections, a dispute that could prompt further legal and licensing scrutiny and continued media attention.