BREAKING: Village People frontman Victor Willis dead at 74, Trump says 'we will think of Victor every time YMCA is played'

Victor Willis, the frontman for the 70’s disco group Village People, has died at the age of 74. The group’s hit song YMCA has been a main staple of President Trump’s rallies over the years. 

Willis’ wife announced his death early Wednesday morning. "It is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband, VICTOR WILLIS.  Victor passed away on Tuesday June 30, 2026 as a result of a short, but aggressive illness. The family request privacy at this time of great loss," she wrote on Facebook. 

Trump wrote in response to the news, "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, "We will think of Victor every time YMCA is played, like today, and all throughout this July Fourth Birthday week. My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!!"

 

The Village People performed at Trump’s Inauguration Eve Ball, hosted by Turning Point USA. The Village People had said in December 2025, leading up to Inauguration Day, that they would be open to performing the song for him.

Willis had said that if the group was asked to perform for Trump, he would have to "seriously consider" it. While the group had previously said they'd prefer that the candidate not use their songs during his rallies, Willis reversed that posture, saying "I decided to allow the president-elect's continued use of ‘YMCA.’ because he seems to genuinely, genuinely like the song and so many other artists were stopping him from using their music."  

"So I decided to contact BMI [Broadcast Music, Inc.] and told them not to terminate his political use license because he seemed to be bringing so much joy to the American people with his use of YMCA," Willis added.