On Monday, country music star Carrie Underwood performed a stunning rendition of “America the Beautiful” inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda before Donald Trump was sworn-in as the 47th President of the United States.
Now, a handful of Hollywood executives are mulling firing Underwood from her upcoming gig.
According to a Daily Mail report, “American Idol” executives have reportedly been in “crisis talks” about Underwood’s debut as a judge on the popular talent show following her performance at Trump’s inauguration.
American Idol in Carrie Underwood 'crisis talks' after her performance at Donald Trump's inauguration https://t.co/kAiQ7tThZp pic.twitter.com/geiuyTNRNc
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) January 23, 2025
Per the report, ABC leaderships has reportedly said that following the 41-year-old country singer’s performance, there have been calls for people to boycott the upcoming season in which she is supposed to be a judge.
An insider told the outlet that there are concerns contestants might be “uncomfortable” being part of the show and fear her doing so could affect ratings.
“Idol contestants come from a wide range of diverse backgrounds, and so do the people who work on the show,” a source said. “There are concerns that her apparent political stance might make some contestants feel uncomfortable.”
“There’s also worry that backlash could impact viewership,” the report noted.
“Her apparent support for Trump doesn’t align with the show’s values of inclusivity and diversity.”
“[One judge] Lionel Richie, who is very liberal, may not see eye to eye with Carrie’s views which could create some tension,” the report continued.
“He has never and will never support Trump. The general opinion is that Carrie should have thought about the show’s culture and network values before jumping into such a major role while under contract.”
Underwood released a statement about performing at the inauguration after the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee announced she would be one of many singers participating in the inauguration events.
“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 said.
Underwood’s own singing career became a reality after she appeared on the fourth season of “American Idol” and won the contest in 2005.
The new season of “American Idol” kicks off March 9.