Army Choir PerformsLes MisAnthem About Protesting the King for Trump. The Internet Has Questions

Mar. 15, 2025

Donald Trump at the 2025 National Governors Association dinner; the U.S. Army Chorus in 2018.Photo:Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty; Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty

Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty; Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty

The U.S. Army Chorus left the internet with questions after performing an unexpected song at the 2025 White House Governors Ball.

The event, which took place at the White House on Saturday, Feb. 22, saw the choir singing “Do You Hear the People Sing?” from the hit 1985 musicalLes Misérables. PresidentDonald Trumpand first ladyMelania Trumpwere both in attendance.

The song, now considered a protest anthem, is about a social revolution in which French proletarians stand against the ruling class — in this case, an oppressive monarchy. The lyrics include, “Do you hear the people sing? / Singing the song of angry men?/ It is the music of the people / Who will not be slaves again!”

Some quickly interpreted the song choice to be a slight at the Trump administration, particularly after he declared himself “the king” in asocial media postdepicting a fictionalizedTimemagazine cover earlier that week.

Donald Trump during the National Governors Association dinner and reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 22, 2025.Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty

Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty

Democratic Rep. James P. McGovern from Massachusettsrespondedto the post and pointed out the irony: “They pickedLes Mis—a musical about standing up to tyranny. They protested you at your own event and you were too stupid to get it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

But despite speculation that the Army Chorus intentionally dissed Trump at the Governors Ball, it is unlikely that theLes Misnumber was chosen to spite the current administration.

In fact, Trump seems to be a fan of the song, incorporating it into his 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns.The Guardianreported in 2022 that the politician “bizarrely” blasted the song ahead of announcing his 2024 candidacy.

Producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh and the co-creators ofLes Misreleased a joint statement to make their disapproval known of its use in Trump’s politics.

“The authors ofLes Misérableswere not asked for permission and did not authorise or endorse usage of ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’ at last [week’s] Trump rally in Miami, and have never done so for any of the songs from the musical for this or any other political event,” they wrote, perThe Guardian.

Mackintosh’s statement continued, “As the musical’s popularity and universal message have been part of international popular culture for more than 30 years now, countless political and social movements around the world, including the first Bill Clinton and Obama campaigns, have independently embraced songs from the musical as a rallying cry for their own cause.”

According toThe Guardian, the song has been used in protests in mainland China and Hong Kong.

source: people.com