Jim Watson took this photo for Getty Images. It shows President-elect Donald Trump dancing with the Village People at a MAGA victory rally at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2025, one day before his second inauguration. The ’70s anthem, “YMCA,” an ode to cruising that encouraged young men to pick up other men at YMCA hostels, has long been co-opted by Trump’s campaign. Motivated by the financial benefits, the group recently stopped fighting Trump’s illegal use of its music and performed live with Trump for the first time.
Our video details how Trump morphed into one more Village Person at his presidential victory rally, revealing a masterful yet audacious cultural sleight-of-hand. By transforming “YMCA”—an anthem about gay cruising—into a MAGA staple, Trump demonstrates his unique ability to strip away controversial meanings while keeping the spectacle. The analysis reveals how Trump, luring the group with financial incentives, got MAGA audiences to embrace what amounts to a drag show while demonizing gender fluidity—having their cake and eating it, too.
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Jill Connelly took this photo for Bloomberg. It shows a man retrieving an American flag outside a burning house during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. The Los Angeles wildfires, driven by climate change impacts, including severe drought and record-breaking Santa Ana winds, have scorched tens of thousands of acres and inflicted economic losses estimated at up to $150 billion, marking a historic disaster for the region.Our discussion raises complex themes about American identity and disaster response, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s false claims about California’s response to massive wildfires and his vow to place conditions on disaster assistance. We also explore the unique relationship between American disaster photography and the national flag.
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