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\n\tNoted music connoisseur Donald J. Trump has penned a tribute to Village People<\/a> co-founder Victor Willis who died on Tuesday<\/a> following a \u201ca short but aggressive illness.\u201d The 47th President described Willis as a jovial individual and someone who loved to perform for the MAGA crowd at the president\u2019s various rallies.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201c[Willis] was a great and happy guy who loved that I used his group\u2019s song, \u2018Y.M.C.A.,\u2019 at my Rallies. It became a \u2018monster\u2019 hit, again, 30 years after its original launch,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social. \u201cMany singers and groups wanted to get on board at the Rallies after all of the Rally Attendance Records were set \u2013 The crowds were, and are, enormous \u2013 But Victor and the group was there for us right from the beginning!\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tHe continued: \u201cThey loved the action, and we loved them and their great and uplifting song. We will think of Victor every time \u2018Y.M.C.A.\u2019 is played, like today, and all throughout this July Fourth Birthday week. My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!!\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tWillis co-founded the Village People alongside producers Jacques Morali\u00a0and\u00a0Henri Belolo\u00a0in 1977. Willis, the police officer character of the disco<\/a> group, was the sole member from their original lineup upon his death.<\/p>\n \n\tTheir disco hit \u201cY.M.C.A.\u201d was released in 1978 and Willis is credited as a co-writer on the track. Due to the band\u2019s roots in queer music and themes, many consider \u201cY.M.C.A.\u201d as a \u201cgay anthem,\u201d but Willis disagreed with this interpretation. \u201cI don\u2019t mind if gay people want to claim it as a gay anthem for them,\u201d Willis said<\/a> in 2025. \u201cMy thing is that when anybody wants to make a story on it, and they say \u2018gay anthem\u2019 because of the illicitness of the lyrics, that\u2019s incorrect, because there\u2019s nothing in my lyrics that says anything about gayness or gay acts at the \u2018Y.M.C.A.\u2019 If you\u2019re going to say anything, just say \u2018anthem.’\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tTrump first began using \u201cY.M.C.A.<\/a>\u201d at his rallies in 2020 without authorization from Willis and the Village People. Willis initially pushed back on Trump\u2019s usage<\/a> of the song and even considered suing him. In 2023, Trump used the track again at Mar-a-Lago and had performers dress like the band during the performance. Victor\u2019s wife and attorney Karen Willis sent a ceast-and-desist<\/a> to Trump to halt \u201cany such further unauthorized use of the Village People image in association with the songs and his campaign (or in his personal capacity).\u201d But upon Trump winning the 2024 presidential election, Willis softened his stance and authorized Trump to use the song at his behest.<\/p>\n