President Donald Trump shared an extended message honoring Village People frontman Victor Willis after news broke that the singer had died at the age of 74 following what was described as “a short but aggressive illness”. Willis died on June 30, 2026, one day before his 75th birthday, according to the statement posted by the band.
Willis was best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of Village People, as well as a co-writer of some of the group’s biggest songs, including YMCA, Go West and In the Navy. The disco act became one of the defining pop groups of the late 1970s, and YMCA later took on a second life decades after its release when Trump began playing it regularly at rallies and public events.
In recent years, Willis’ relationship with Trump’s use of the song had been complicated. While the Village People ultimately performed at Trump-related inaugural events in January 2025, Willis had previously asked the Trump campaign to stop using the band’s music at rallies, saying in 2020 that neither he nor the group endorsed Trump.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump reflected on Willis and his connection to the song that became a staple of his public appearances.
“Village People singer Victor Willis is dead at 74. He was a great and happy guy who loved that I used his groups song, YMCA, at my Rallies. It became a ‘monster’ hit, again, 30 years after its original launch.
“Many singers and groups wanted to get on board at the Rallies after all of the Rally Attendance Records were set – The crowds were, and are, enormous – But Victor and the group was there for us right from the beginning! They loved the action, and we loved them and their great and uplifting song,” he continued in the lengthy post.
Trump added that Willis would remain in his thoughts whenever YMCA is played, including during the July Fourth holiday period.
“My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The singer’s death was confirmed in a statement shared on the band’s official Facebook page.
“We are profoundly sad to announce the death of Victor Willis, lead singer of Village People,” said the brief statement.
“Victor passed on Monday June 30, 2026 of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested.”
Willis, who was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1951, had long been one of the most recognisable figures in Village People, performing in the group’s trademark police-officer costume and helping turn its theatrical disco sound into an international phenomenon. His death drew renewed attention to the band’s enduring link with Trump, whose rallies and campaign events helped push YMCA back into the cultural spotlight years after its original release.
Although Trump’s tribute suggested Willis appreciated the use of YMCA at campaign events, the singer previously said in 2020 that the group had asked for their music not to be used that way.
During an interview with BBC World News America, Willis said he did enjoy hearing the song again, and its renewed exposure helped push the 1978 hit back up the Billboard charts decades after its original release.
“I don’t endorse Trump. I’ve never endorsed Trump, nor has the Village People.
“We have even asked him to stop playing our music at his rallies,” he revealed. However, due to copyright laws, Trump was able to play the tune wherever he wanted to.
When asked whether he would have taken part in Trump’s inauguration by performing the song, Willis gave a brief reply.
“Probably not.”