Carrie Underwood inadvertently became the centre of attention during Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration when her performance of “America The Beautiful” faced technical difficulties. After Trump’s speech, as Underwood took the stage, the music failed just moments in, leaving the audience at the Capitol Rotunda in an awkward silence. Trump maintained a stoic expression during the unexpected pause.
In response to the silence, Underwood implored, “Help me out here,” before continuing to sing without any audio support, eventually finishing the song a cappella with backing from a military choir, earning applause from the audience. A week prior, Underwood had been announced as the performer for the inauguration, expressing her pride in being part of the historic event and emphasizing the need for unity in her statement.
The Grammy-winning star is not only a major figure in country music but also well-known in mainstream media, serving as the face of “Sunday Night Football” and set to return as a judge on “American Idol.” While she has maintained a degree of political neutrality throughout her career, her choice to align herself with Trump represents a significant public gesture for an artist known for her privacy.