Pop
Donald Trump pays tribute to Victor Willis and says YMCA became a 'monster hit again' thanks to his rallies
Donald Trump has honoured Village People frontman Victor Willis following his death, reflecting on the renewed success of YMCA after adopting the track at his political events.
Donald Trump has shared a tribute to Victor Willis after the Village People singer died aged 74, praising the disco star and claiming his use of YMCA at campaign rallies helped turn the song into a “monster” hit once more.
Willis - the founding lead vocalist and co‑writer behind the group’s biggest singles - died on Tuesday (30.06.26) following what his family described as a “short but aggressive illness”.
His passing was announced on the band’s official Facebook page, with his widow Karen Huff‑Willis later asking for privacy as relatives mourn.
Hours after the news broke, Trump posted a message on Truth Social celebrating Willis’ legacy and the renewed popularity of YMCA during his political events.
He wrote: “Village People singer Victor Willis is dead at 74.
“He was a great and happy guy who loved that I used his group’s song, YMCA, at my Rallies. It became a ‘monster’ hit, again, 30 years after its original launch.”
Trump said Willis and the band were supportive from the outset, adding: “They loved the action, and we loved them and their great and uplifting song.”
He also noted that YMCA would continue to feature in Independence Day celebrations this week.
He said: “We will think of Victor every time YMCA is played… My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!!”
Willis’ relationship with Trump’s use of Village People’s music shifted over time.
When YMCA and Macho Man first appeared at rallies, Willis considered legal action after receiving what he described as more than 1,000 complaints from fans.
He later softened his stance, saying in 2024: “Trump seems to genuinely like Y.M.C.A. and he’s having a lot of fun with it.”
He also acknowledged the commercial impact of the renewed exposure, noting that the song had generated “several million dollars” in earnings since Trump began using it.
The resurgence helped YMCA - originally released in 1978 - return to the top of the Billboard chart more than 45 years later, while Village People performed at Trump’s Make America Great Again Victory Rally in Washington ahead of his second inauguration in January 2025.
Although YMCA has long been embraced within LGBTQ+ culture, Willis consistently rejected the idea that the track was intentionally written as a gay anthem.
He maintained that while he was proud of the community’s connection to the song, its meaning had often been misinterpreted.
