Donald Trump refuses to stop playing the Village People’s gay anthem Macho Man to the confusion of – well, everyone
US President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Minden-Tahoe airport in Minden, Nevada on September 12, 2020. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump is still using the Village People’s music at his rallies, despite pleas from the group for him to stop.
The gay anthem “Macho Man”, which has been piped to crowds at Trump rallies on several previous occasions, was deployed again at a presidential campaign rally on Sunday (September 13).
The song was piped over the sound system as sparse hordes of maskless Trump fanatics flouted instructions to socially distance at the event in Minden, Nevada.
As noted by Vanity Fair, the song’s use ignores a plea from Village People singer Victor Willis — the only original member of the group who is still involved.
When Black Lives Matter protesters in Washington DC faced violence from federal law enforcement in June, Willis said: “If Trump orders the US military to fire on his own citizens (on US soil), Americans will rise up in such numbers outside of the White House that he might be forced out of office prior to the election. Don’t do it Mr President!
“And I ask that you no longer use any of my music at your rallies especially ‘Y.M.C.A.’ and ‘Macho Man’.
“Sorry, but I can’t support what you’re proposing.”
Just watched a sea of people rush to the front of the barricades ahead of tonight’s rally in Minden, NV. pic.twitter.com/pawt9D2P3Z
— Mark Meredith (@markpmeredith) September 12, 2020
The Trump campaign has ‘wilfully ignored’ requests to stop playing songs.
The Village People are far from the first music act to demand that Donald Trump cease using their songs, with Queen, Sir Elton John and Rihanna among those to have spoken out on the issue.
When Trump played “Rocket Man” in 2016, a spokesperson for Sir Elton made clear: “Elton’s music has not been requested for use in any official capacity by Donald Trump. Any use of his music should not be seen as an endorsement of Donald Trump by Elton.”
When he used “We Are the Champions” during the 2016 campaign, Queen guitarist Brian May wrote “I can confirm that permission to use the track was neither sought nor given. We are taking advice on what steps we can take to ensure this use does not continue.”
US president Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Minden-Tahoe airport in Minden, Nevada on September 12, 2020. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
May continued: “Regardless of our views on Mr Trump’s platform, it has always been against our policy to allow Queen music to be used as a political campaigning tool. Our music embodies our own dreams and beliefs, but it is for all who care to listen and enjoy.”
However, efforts to stop the Trump campaign from using popular songs have largely proved fruitless.
Neil Young took legal action against the Trump re-election campaign in August, accusing the President of “wilfully” ignoring requests to stop playing his music. He accused the campaign of breaching copyright laws for an “un-American campaign of ignorance and hate”.
