Some LGBTQ+ fans and queer country artists criticized Carrie Underwood after she agreed to sing “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s Jan. 20, 2025, inauguration. Underwood said she accepted to honor the country and encourage unity; critics said the appearance conflicted with her earlier support for same-sex marriage and what they understood “Love Wins” to represent.
What Underwood was scheduled to do—and why she said yes
On Jan. 13, 2025, the Associated Press reported that Underwood was scheduled to perform “America the Beautiful” shortly before Trump took the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20. The AP said the schedule came from a copy of the inaugural program provided to it. The AP’s report quoted Underwood’s explanation:
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“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. 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.”
Her statement framed the performance as patriotic participation and a gesture of unity. Some fans and queer artists instead viewed accepting the invitation as a political choice with implications for LGBTQ+ people.
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Why some LGBTQ+ fans felt hurt
PinkNews reported that some fans described themselves as heartbroken or deeply hurt. One longtime listener said they had attended Underwood concerts and believed she stood for “love & acceptance”; another said that, as a queer person, Underwood’s music had offered guidance and comfort. Some commenters criticized her decision and said they would block her or boycott her music. PinkNews’ account included one fan’s words: “I’m heartbroken at your decision to perform next week.”
Global News also reported a fan’s plan to block Underwood and boycott her music, a “disappointed but not surprised” response, and a commenter challenging her status as an LGBTQ ally. One comment quoted in the coverage said, “Don’t ever call yourself an LGBTQ ally again.” Global News’ report and PinkNews document individual reactions, not a representative account of LGBTQ+ listeners.
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The connection fans made to “Love Wins” and her earlier comments
The backlash was also discussed in light of Underwood’s earlier public support for same-sex marriage, voiced before it became legal across the United States, and her 2018 song “Love Wins.” PinkNews reported that some listeners perceived the song as pro-LGBTQ+. That perception helps explain why some fans saw the inauguration performance as a break with what they had understood her earlier words and music to signal.
The coverage does not establish one settled meaning for “Love Wins,” or that all listeners interpreted it in the same way. Nor does it establish Underwood’s private motives for accepting the invitation beyond the rationale in her public statement.
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Out quoted country singer Kameron Ross criticizing the decision and describing it as disheartening for people who value allyship. Ross said: “In a time where being an ally to our community holds more value than ever, it’s really disheartening to see someone as huge as Carrie Underwood take such a stance.” Ross also urged readers to support other country artists he viewed as allies. Those are Ross’s assessments. Out reported his comments.
Gay country singer Adam Mac told Out: “It’s disheartening to hear of her support for Donald Trump.” He acknowledged Underwood’s stated appeal to national unity, but said honoring Trump felt like a significant shift from the support he believed she had shown the community. Mac said he felt let down. These comments reflect Mac’s interpretation of the decision, not an established finding about Underwood’s intentions.
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What the reports do—and do not—show
The reports establish that some fans and queer country artists publicly objected, and they preserve the reasons several gave: hurt, disappointment, concern about allyship, and a perceived conflict with Underwood’s earlier record. They do not establish a unified LGBTQ+ response, a measured change in Underwood’s popularity, or verified effects on sales, streams, or listening. No representative survey or named statistic on the scale of the reaction appears in the cited coverage.
The disagreement is therefore best understood as a documented set of reactions to a high-profile performance: Underwood described her participation in terms of patriotism and unity, while some listeners and fellow artists saw accepting the invitation as inconsistent with the support they associated with her past statements and song.
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