CNN
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Country music star Carrie Underwood is expected to perform “America the Beautiful” at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, according to a copy of the program obtained by CNN and confirmed by an inaugural committee spokesperson.
“I love our country and am honored to have been invited to sing at the inauguration and be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement to CNN. “I am honored to answer this call at a time when we must all come together in a spirit of unity and look to the future.”
The presidential oath of office will be administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh is expected to administer the oath of office to Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States will take place on January 20 at the United States Capitol.
Underwood is a major asset to Trump’s inauguration, given Trump’s Hollywood blackout during his political career.
During his first term and over the past three elections, Trump has struggled to gain support from Hollywood’s biggest stars. At last year’s Republican National Convention, the two biggest stars on stage alongside Trump were musician Kid Rock and retired WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan – a far cry from a superstar at the peak of his powers. career, like Underwood.
The Grammy-winning artist is as well known as it gets in country music, not only with numerous platinum hits, but also among the general public and mainstream professional associations. Underwood is the face of Sunday Night Football and is set to debut in March as a judge on ABC’s “American Idol” — the singing competition that launched her to fame when she won in 2005 .
While many NFL fans will likely applaud Underwood for singing at the inauguration, any time a celebrity aligns with Trump, they run the risk of alienating left-wing fans and Hollywood allies .
Underwood kept his politics secret throughout his career. In her statement, she did not mention Trump by name and remained focused on unifying the country. Still, Underwood’s decision to publicly align with Trump is a significant statement for any star, especially one as private as the singer.
Historically, Hollywood has been closely associated with the Democratic Party, but country stars have always been a more conservative exception. In recent years, as new singers join the genre, country music has become more progressive. During the last election cycle, country stars like Mickey Guyton and Maren Morris stood alongside Vice President Kamala Harris.