Village People Reacts After President Trump Shares ‘Offensive’ AI Video of Fake Obama Arrest Set to ‘Y.M.C.A.’

Village People previously gave Donald Trump the green flag to use “Y.M.C.A.” in his campaign efforts, but a recent video featuring the song shared by the president may have just crossed a line in the eyes of the disco group.

Shortly after the POTUS shared a fake, AI-generated video on Truth Social of former president Barack Obama getting arrested while the band’s iconic 1970s hit plays in the background, Village People shared its thoughts on the matter in a joint statement to People on Monday (July 21). “While we don’t want ‘Y.M.C.A.’ to be used for political endorsements of any kind, President Trump merely sharing a video containing our song does not meet the standard for copyright infringement,” the members said.

“However, we will attempt to find the original person or entity who posted the offensive video featuring President Barack Obama, and have such video taken down as not being endorsed by Village People, nor any of the owners of the copyright,” the group added.

In the controversial video, digital renderings of Trump and Obama sit together in the Oval Office. As faux FBI officers suddenly come into view, the twice-impeached chief of state smiles unnaturally while the Democratic politician is handcuffed and carried out of frame.

The clip — which also features a montage of Democratic party leaders repeating the phrase, “No one is above the law” — then cuts to AI-generated shots of Obama standing behind bars, wearing an orange jumpsuit. The former president has never been arrested, though the sitting POTUS is a convicted felon.

This isn’t the first time Trump has platformed misleading AI-generated content. Last August, he shared false images that led supporters to believe that Taylor Swift had endorsed him for president, something the pop star later rebuked while throwing her support behind Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Much like the AI materials he’s shared, “Y.M.C.A.” has also become a hallmark of Trump’s second term in the White House. The billionaire often used the track at his events and rallies leading up to his 2024 election win, and — despite previously requesting that he stop — Village People has signed off on his affinity for the song.

“The Trump campaign knew they had obtained a political use license from BMI and absent that license being terminated, they had every right to continue using Y.M.C.A.,” founder Victor Willis said in a December statement on Facebook. “The financial benefits have been great as well as ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is estimated to gross several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song. Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of Y.M.C.A. And I thank him for choosing to use my song.”

The following month, Village People performed “Y.M.C.A.” at the president’s pre-inauguration rally in Washington, D.C., where Trump joined the band members and danced along on stage.