Entertainment

Donald Trump accused of forgetting words to God Bless America

The stumbling rendition came at a White House ‘celebration of the American flag’.
The stumbling rendition came at a White House ‘celebration of the American flag’. The stumbling rendition came at a White House ‘celebration of the American flag’.

Donald Trump has faced accusations of forgetting the words to God Bless America at a White House event.

The president belted out the opening line at the event on Tuesday along with the United States Army Chorus who were performing behind him.

For the remainder of Irving Berlin’s classic patriotic ditty though, Mr Trump seemed a little less certain – apparently staying quiet for sections, and chipping in with words here and there.

The rendition came at an event organised at short notice because of the cancellation of Super Bowl winners the Philadelphia Eagles’ scheduled visit to the White House.

With few players reportedly prepared to attend, the White House shelved the event and instead arranged “a celebration of the American flag with Eagles fans and performances by the United States Marine Band and the United States Army Chorus”.

But when it came to God Bless America, Mr Trump’s own performance appeared less than full throated.

Headlines form the American media were damning in their interpretation of the event.

“Donald Trump botches singing of ‘God Bless America’,” the New York Post wrote, while a USA Today headline read: “‘God Bless America’ fail: Trump appears not to know the lyrics.”

Given the row over NFL players kneeling, some on Twitter accused Trump of double standards.

Others felt Trump was being misrepresented and he hadn’t forgotten the lyrics at all.

For others, forgetting the words put him in the company of plenty of other Americans.

For future reference, should you ever need to know them, here are the lyrics to God Bless America:

God bless America

Land that I love

Stand beside her

And guide her

Through the night with the light from above

From the mountains

To the prairies

To the oceans

White with foam

God bless America

My home sweet home

God bless America

My home sweet home