President Donald Trump paid tribute Wednesday to late Village People singer Victor Willis, saying the disco legend’s signature hit “Y.M.C.A.” will now carry an even deeper meaning for him.
Willis, the group’s lead singer and co-writer of “Y.M.C.A.,” died after what was described as a short but aggressive illness. He was 74.
Trump remembered Willis as a “great and happy guy” and credited the Village People classic with becoming a rally staple during his political rise.
The president said he will think of Willis every time he hears the song.
Victor Willis
Trump also said Willis and the Village People were “there for us right from the beginning … they loved the action and we loved them and their great and uplifting song.”
The song became one of Trump’s most recognizable campaign-trail anthems, with the president frequently dancing to it at rallies and major political events.
Trump said he helped turn “Y.M.C.A” into a “monster” hit again by playing it before massive crowds at his events.
The president said he planned to blast the track Wednesday and keep it on repeat this week as July 4 celebrations and the nation’s 250th birthday festivities approach.
Willis became one of disco’s most recognizable voices as a founding member of Village People, the group behind late-1970s hits including “Y.M.C.A.,” “Macho Man,” “In The Navy” and “Go West.”
His booming vocals and police-officer stage persona helped make the group a pop-culture fixture, long after the disco era faded.
In recent years, “Y.M.C.A.” found new life as Trump embraced it on the campaign trail, turning the song into an unexpected soundtrack for MAGA rallies.
The Village People also performed during Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration festivities, a move Willis defended at the time as apolitical.
Trump closed his tribute with condolences for Willis’ loved ones.
“My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!!”
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