Country music sensation Carrie Underwood is set to grace the stage at the impending inauguration of Donald Trump.
The American Idol alumna will render a rendition of "America the Beautiful," a performance scheduled to precede Trump's Oath of Office.
As reported by Gateway Pundit, Underwood's performance will be accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club, as revealed in a snapshot of the official program. The star expressed her excitement and honor at being part of this momentous occasion. "I 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," Underwood stated, as quoted by USA Today. She further emphasized the need for unity, stating, "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."
The inauguration ceremony will showcase an array of musical talents, including operatic tenor Christopher D. Macchio, who will perform the National Anthem among other pieces. Macchio is no stranger to Trump's events, having previously performed "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's Turandot at several Trump campaign rallies. Other performances include "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" by the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club and a selection of diverse musical arrangements by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Combine Choirs.
While the majority of Americans anticipate the ceremony with joy, the event will be a bitter pill to swallow for many Democrats and disaffected Republicans. These individuals, in adherence to political tradition, will either attend or participate in the proceedings. Among them is Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat and longtime Trump critic, who will be required to read out the call to order in her capacity as the Chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC).
The ceremony will also be attended by a host of political heavyweights, including outgoing president Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff, Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and George W. Bush and his wife Laura.
However, Axios reported last month that several Democrats, still grieving the results of the election, may boycott the ceremony as a form of resistance against the incoming president. The report stated, "Not every Democrat skipping the ceremony will do so to protest Trump but a formal boycott is materializing as a first act of resistance against the incoming president." The memory of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol remains a painful reminder for many Democrats, who view Trump as a threat to democracy. The coincidence of Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the Jan. 20 inaugural ceremony provides an easy excuse for some Democrats to abstain, while others cite distaste for inaugurations, loathing of Trump, and even fears for their safety as reasons for their absence.
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