Carrie Underwood has broken her silence on the highly anticipated and polarizing announcement that she will perform at Donald Trump’s upcoming presidential inauguration.
The country music superstar, 41, expressed her gratitude and sense of duty in a statement obtained by USA Today, saying she feels both “honored” and “humbled” to be part of the historic event.
“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Carrie shared.
“I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
Carrie is set to deliver a stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful” on January 20, 2025, accompanied by The Armed Forces Chorus and The United States Naval Academy Glee Club.
© AlamyThe performance will take place after Trump is officially sworn in, alongside his vice president pick, JD Vance.
The reaction from fans has been nothing short of explosive, with opinions split sharply down the middle. While some are applauding the “Cry Pretty” singer for putting patriotism above politics, others are outraged, questioning her morals and past neutrality in political discourse.
One person bluntly wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Disgusting, thought she had morals. It was all a sham.” Another, however, praised her, writing, “Good for Carrie Underwood! She’s doing this for America, not for politics.”
© Getty ImagesThe discussion surrounding her decision has dominated social media, with fans passionately debating whether her performance is an iconic power move or a controversial misstep.
“Carrie’s about to have the whole country talking. Iconic move or controversial queen?” one fan mused. Another applauded the choice, calling her a “solid pick” for such a monumental occasion.
Inevitably, comparisons to other artists followed. Some were quick to point out that artists like Kid Rock and Jason Aldean, both outspoken Trump supporters, were noticeably absent from the lineup.
One critic wrote: “No Kid Rock or Jason Aldean? Using Carrie Underwood to draw ratings for Trump. I’m not going to watch a convict take the oath. What a joke.”
Supporters of Trump, however, were thrilled by Carrie’s involvement, with one enthusiastically writing: “Nice to know she’s not a Hollywood bloodsucking vampire!”
The debate also drew in other celebrities, with one X user taking the opportunity to shade Taylor Swift, who had previously been vocal about her support for Kamala Harris. “Sorry Taylor Swift, you didn’t make the cut,” they posted.
Despite the firestorm, Carrie has largely stayed out of political discussions throughout her career, a stance she’s held for years.
Back in 2019, she told The Guardian: “I like to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins. It’s crazy. Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.”
© Mike CoppolaThat said, Carrie has playfully waded into political satire before. During the 2017 Country Music Association Awards, she and longtime co-host Brad Paisley poked fun at Trump’s Twitter habits.
During their opening monologue, Carrie joked: “Now Brad, I don’t know if you heard about this, but the CMA has given us some guidelines with specific topics to avoid. So we can’t be doing any of our silly little songs because this year’s show is a ‘politics-free zone.’”
Brad, however, couldn’t resist, strumming his guitar to the melody of Carrie’s hit “Before He Cheats,” but with new lyrics.
“Right now, he’s probably in his PJs, watching the cable news, reaching for his cellphone. Right now, he’s probably asking Siri how in the hell do you spell Pocahontas,” Brad sang, referencing Trump’s controversial nickname for Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Carrie smirked and responded, “Well, here we go.” Brad continued: “In the middle of the night, from the privacy of a gold-plated White House toilet seat, he writes little Bob Corker, NFL and covfefe.”
The moment drew laughter from the crowd, particularly the reference to Trump’s infamous “covfefe” tweet, widely considered to be a misspelling.
