Whoopi Goldberg defends Carrie Underwoodâs decision to perform at Trump inauguration
â??The Viewâ?? hostâ??s remarks came after the country singer was hit with immense backlash online
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Whoopi Goldberg has defended Carrie Underwoodâs decision to perform at U.S. president-elect Donald Trumpâs inauguration.
The 69-year-old TV host addressed Underwoodâs expected performance during Tuesdayâs (January 14) episode of The View. She also discussed the backlash the country singer â whoâs previously been private about her political stance â received for announcing the gig.
While Goldberg often hits back at Trumpâs policies on the talk show, she said that she wasnât going to criticize Underwood for performing at the inauguration on January 20.
âPeople do what they do for whatever reason,â she said, before referring to how MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with Trump in Mar-a-Logo in November after he won the election. âI gotta stand behind that.â
âI stand behind her,â she continued about Underwood. âIf I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform some place, I believe they have the same right. I have to support. It doesnât mean Iâm particularly interested. I wonât be watching, but thatâs just me.â
Host Sunny Hostin chimed in to share that she wonât be watching the inauguration either, noting she scheduled âa spa dayâ for the 20th.
Whoopi Goldberg says she âstands behindâ Carrie Underwoodâs decision to perform at the inauguration (The View / Getty Images )
Meanwhile, Alyssa Farrah Griffin said she hopes weâre moving past a point where we âcancel peopleâs livelihood because we donât like their politics.â
âIf you have a problem, you register your complaint by not downloading her songs and not going to her shows,â she said. âBut, I also think from a business standpoint, itâs not a bad decision for Carrie Underwood.â
She also claimed that while many celebrities tend to be âleft-leaning,â Underwood âwill overnight become an icon of MAGA and the American right.â
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However, Behar disagreed with the singerâs decision, saying she would refuse to perform at the inauguration if she was asked to. She also questioned Underwood for supporting and normalizing âa convicted felon,â referring to Trumpâs 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May 2024.
On January 13, the Presidential Inaugural Committee confirmed that Underwood would be performing at the inauguration as sheâs expected to perform âAmerica the Beautiful.â
Underwood also issued a statement to The Independent about the opportunity, saying: âI 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. 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.â
Following the news, she was hit with immense backlash on social media. In a comment on a recent post on Underwoodâs Instagram account, one fan wrote: âSo gross that youâre supporting Trump! History wonât forget.â
Another wrote on X: âCarrie Underwood is [performing] at Trumpâs inauguration so Iâm blocking her on all apps and boycotting all her music.â
The âBefore He Cheatsâ singer also dismayed many LGBT+ fans, having previously spoken out in support of gay marriage.
One fan wrote on Instagram: âDonât ever call yourself an LGBTQ ally again, youâre supporting the man that wants to abolish LGBTQ rights, you should be ashamed.â
At the inauguration, Underwood â who did not publicly endorse any candidate ahead of the 2024 election â is expected to be joined by the Armed Forces Choir and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club. The performance will come after Vice President JD Vance takes his Oath of Office and before Trump takes the Presidential Oath of Office.