"Further cemented her legacy as the greatest American Idol winner" — Kelly Clarkson trends as internet reacts to Carrie Underwood performing for Trump

A spokesperson of the Presidential Inaugural Committee confirmed on Monday, January 13, 2025, that Carrie Underwood will be performing at the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2025.

In the wake of this announcement, the internet is now drawing comparisons between Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, as the latter performed at the second presidential inauguration of Barack Obama, back in January 2013.

Not only that but both of them are former American Idol winners. While Carrie won the fourth season in 2005, Kelly won the first season in 2002. Amid this, X user @MikeFatone shared a post that read:

“Kelly Clarkson knowing that she just further cemented her legacy as the greatest ‘American Idol’ winner after this Carrie Underwood Trump inauguration news dropped.”

Many people joined the conversation and shared similar reactions on the platform.

“And that’s why Kelly will always be the best ‘American Idol,’” a person wrote.

“Kelly stays unbothered, letting her talent and legacy speak for itself. The crown remains secure!” one person wrote.

“Carrie has become such an icon that I always forget she came from that corny show. Kelly, however, will only ever be ‘the first American idol winner,’” wrote another.

Others continued to weigh in.

“Salt over Carrie Underwood is hilarious considering idol’s demographics and Kelly’s own politics,” a netizen wrote.

“Carrie Underwood- $120m net worth, 12 Grammys, 85m albums sold. Kelly Clarkson-$50m net worth, 3 Grammys, 28m albums sold,” one netizen noted.

“You guys realize Carrie has barely charted outside the US, right? Kelly has never been in danger,” a user wrote.

“Clarkson is so much more talented than Underwood so there was never a question,” wrote another.

So far, Kelly Clarkson has not commented on the matter.

---

Exploring what Carrie Underwood said amid her Trump inauguration announcement

On Monday, Carrie Underwood told the media in a statement that she was “honored” to have been chosen to perform at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration next week.

“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,” she shared.

This is the first time 41-year-old Carrie Underwood will take part in a political event. She has kept her political views private over the years. In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, she mentioned how "more people try to pin me places politically."

"I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins. It’s crazy. Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that," the singer added.

Speaking about her 2018 single The Bullet which was considered an anthem for gun control, Underwood further explained to the outlet:

"Immediately people said, ‘Oh you have a song about gun control!’ It was more about the lives that were changed by something terrible happening. And it does kind of bug me when people take a song, or take something I said and try to pigeonhole or force me to pick a side or something. It’s a discussion — a long discussion."

However, during the 2017 CMA Awards, Carrie and fellow country musician Brad Paisley made fun of Donald Trump while co-hosting the event. The duo even performed Underwood’s song Before He Cheats’ parody version, replacing it with the phrase, “Before he tweets” referring to the vocal posts by the now-President-elect on the Elon Musk-owned social networking site.

---

Carrie Underwood will be singing Ray Charles’ 1972 hit number America the Beautiful at Donald Trump’s January 20 presidential inauguration at The Capitol, shortly before his oath ceremony.