Yahoo News Trump Ends Presidency Blasting 'YMCA' As He Boards Air Force One, Twitter Takes Off
If there’s one thing President Donald Trump knows, it’s that it’s fun to stay at the YMCA.
As the outgoing president said farewell to the American people at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Wednesday morning ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, he implored everyone to “have a good life” and proceeded to blare the Village People’s “YMCA” while boarding Air Force One.
"We will back in some form ... have a good life," says Trump, befor he's serenaded off the stage one last time as president by the thumping beat of "YMCA" pic.twitter.com/daAN2J23wO
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2021
there they go pic.twitter.com/F8u14NBs3n
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 20, 2021
The song selection is notable for a few reasons. For one, the Village People have repeatedly asked Trump to stop using their songs.
Trump’s campaign has previously used “YMCA,” as well as “Macho Man,” during rallies and other events. In October 2020, the Village People’s lead singer, Victor Willis, told BBC News that he doesn’t “endorse Trump, I’ve never endorsed Trump, nor has the Village People.”
“Donald Trump does what Donald Trump does. I’ve never seen him actually put his hands up and make the YMCA. He’s changed it to M-A-G-A or something,” he added.
When reached for comment by HuffPost, the Village People issued a statement:
We asked him to cease and desist long ago. However, since he’s a bully, our request was ignored. Thankfully he’s now out of office, so it would seem his abusive use of our music has finally ended. We hope to spearhead a change in copyright law that will give artists and publishers more control over who can and cannot use our music in the public space. Currently there is no limit to blanket licensing.
While the reason for Trump’s repeated use of the song is unknown, right-wing network Newsmax did bizarrely attempt to unpack the selection:
i lost it when newsmax started doing serious textual analysis of what YMCA must mean to trump pic.twitter.com/MPJYDir7D6
— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) January 20, 2021
Twitter, unsurprisingly, could not get over the absurdity of Trump using a song about a worldwide youth organization for the close of his presidency. Here’s a summation of the general response:
Cue the dignified and solemn “YMCA”
— Chris Meloni (@Chris_Meloni) January 20, 2021
YMCA is such a hilarious choice for the soundtrack to his final walk to Air Force One
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) January 20, 2021
my only comment on the sunsetting of the trump regime is i still don't understand why YMCA was his theme song
— Rich Lather (@allahliker) January 20, 2021
It never ceases to amaze me how a song about cruising at the YMCA is played everywhere for every occasion. Graduations, children's birthday parties, and inaugurations.
— Ryan Ken, True Prince of Wales (@Ryan_Ken_Acts) January 20, 2021
YMCA blaring behind this scene is absolutely surreal pic.twitter.com/MJgJA4yVSw
— Lachlan Markay (@lachlan) January 20, 2021
Next time I'm wronged by someone, I'm gonna be like, "Have a good life," then will start playing "YMCA" on my phone speakers as I walk out of the room.
— Meg Graham (@megancgraham) January 20, 2021
"Have a good life" followed by the Village People's "YMCA" is how this ends?!
Was this all a fever dream?!— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) January 20, 2021
Have a good life 😂😂😂😂 followed by YMCA I fucking can’t.
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) January 20, 2021
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
