Donald Trump Calls 'YMCA' the 'Gay National Anthem' and Reflects on His Popularity Among Gay Voters

US President Donald Trump has referred to the Village People’s hit “YMCA” as the “gay national anthem.” In his statement, he linked the frequent use of the track at his rallies to the support he receives from gay voters.

According to Trump, this song helped him attract votes from the LGBT community. “That’s why I do so well with the gay vote, I think, because of this song. Gays vote for me, they say, ‘Gays for Trump, Gays for Trump, Gays for Trump,’” the politician stated.

Furthermore, he added an unexpected comment about himself: “I suspect that I might be a certain percentage gay too, because otherwise this song wouldn’t have appeared.”

The popularity of “YMCA” at Trump’s rallies has a long history. The 1978 track consistently closed his campaign events, and the president’s dance to the song became viral. The song itself has been associated with LGBT culture for decades, although its writer and Village People frontman Victor Willis has repeatedly denied any original gay subtext. He has claimed that the lyrics meant nothing more than hanging out at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) hostels and even threatened to sue journalists for claiming otherwise. However, Willis noted that he does not mind this interpretation by listeners.

Trump’s claims of record support among gay voters are a recurring theme. He has repeatedly emphasized achieving results among LGBT voters that no Republican before him had reached. Meanwhile, critics often point to the contradiction between Trump’s pride in gay support and the Republican Party’s political course, which includes restrictions on transgender rights and a conservative social agenda.