Lee Greenwood sings ‘God Bless the U.S.A’ at Trump inauguration
Lee Greenwood helped ring in Donald Trump’s official return to the White House.
The country singer, 82, performed his patriotic anthem “God Bless the U.S.A” at Trump’s inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Monday.
Greenwood wore a navy blue suit with a blue tie for his performance. He also wore a USA flag pin on his suit.
He sang his iconic song before Trump, 78, was sworn in as the 47th president.
Greenwood was pictured greeting Sen. Mitch McConnell after his performance.
The Grammy winner was one of multiple musicians tapped to perform at the political event. Carrie Underwood is singing “America The Beautiful” and opera singer Christopher Macchio is signing the national anthem.
Greenwood also took part in Trump’s Make America Great Again Victory Rally at Capital One Arena in D.C. on Sunday, alongside Kid Rock, The Village People, Billy Ray Cyrus and Liberty University’s Praise Choir.
Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts will play at the Commander in Chief Ball after the inauguration.
Greenwood infamously wrote “God Bless the U.S.A.” in 30 minutes in the back of his tour bus in 1983.
This was his third inauguration appearance. He sang for Trump in 2017 and George H. W. Bush in 1989.
Trump invited Greenwood to perform recently while he and his wife, former Miss Tennessee Kimberly Payne, were guests at Mar-a-Lago.
Greenwood also sang as Trump took the stage at his rally at Madison Square Garden in Oct. 2024 before the election.
Before the inauguration, the singer told the Post that introducing Trump after the then-presidential candidate was nearly killed at a rally in Butler, PA, was “the most historic moment for me in all of my performances with presidents.”
“This is the moment you have to introduce the president to the world again with a bandage on his right ear. I had to go on his time, on his clock. He took very slow steps walking to the box,” said Greenwood.
Greenwood also defended Underwood, 41, who received some backlash for agreeing to perform at the inauguration.
“I pity those people that think they have to reach out to a star like her and run some negativity past her when all you have to do is say, ‘Thank you for performing for our next president,’” he told The Post.
Greenwood, who has performed with the “American Idol” champion at the Country Music Awards, said haters need to “move on.”
“I mean, he is the next president. Come on,” Greenwood added. “Stop this negative crap.”