Cool, calm and collected Carrie.
Carrie Underwood experienced a major snafu at Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration on Monday.
The “American Idol” winner, 41, sang “America the Beautiful” at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, after Trump, 78, was sworn in as the 47th president.
But she had to perform a cappella because of a technical difficulty with the music.
“You know the words — help me out here,” Underwood said before she sang only a few verses of the patriotic song.
Underwood was joined by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club for her performance, but she didn’t have any musical accompaniment. Most attendees in the audience sang along.Styled by longtime collaborator Marina Toybina, Underwood wore a sleeveless dove gray draped midi dress by Opificio Modenese for the ceremony. The “Before He Cheats” singer completed her look with ivory leather T-strap Ingiliz pumps and a Noä diamond leaf ring.
She stood in front of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the performance, and later shook hands with Trump and Vice President JD Vance after her set.
Afterward, NBC’s Savannah Guthrie commented on the incident.
“We just have to mention an unplanned part of the ceremony that took place a few moments ago. There was a pause right before Carrie Underwood was meant to sing. It seems as though there was some kind of problem with the accompaniment of the band that was supposed to play along with her,” Guthrie told viewers. “So yes, spontaneously she sang a cappella with a few scattered voices.”
Underwood was one of multiple musicians tapped to perform at the political event. Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA” and opera singer Christopher Macchio sang the national anthem.
Greenwood, 82, also took part in Trump’s Make America Great Again Victory Rally at Capital One Arena in DC Sunday, alongside Kid Rock, the Village People, Billy Ray Cyrus and Liberty University’s Praise Choir.
Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts will play at the Commander in Chief Ball after the inauguration.
It was announced last Monday that Underwood would perform.
“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 said in a statement.
The news sparked mixed reactions, including from the co-hosts on “The View.”
On Tuesday’s episode of the talk show, Joy Behar questioned how Underwood could possibly love America while agreeing to perform at Trump’s inauguration.
“How do you love your country and support and normalize somebody who was a convicted felon who really wants to destroy the country, in my opinion? I don’t understand how you say you love your country at the same time that you normalize this convicted felon,” Behar said.
However, Whoopi Goldberg defended Underwood’s big decision.
“People do what they do for whatever reasons,” the “Ghost” actress said.
Goldberg added, “I stand behind her. Because if I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform someplace, I believe they have the same right… Doesn’t mean I’m particularly interested. I won’t be watching, but that’s me.”
Greenwood also defended Underwood from the backlash.
“I pity those people that think they have to reach out to a star like her and run some negativity past her when all you have to do is say, ‘Thank you for performing for our next president,’ ” Greenwood told The Post.
“I mean, he is the next president. Come on. Stop this negative crap,” he added.
Underwood, who grew up in Oklahoma, has never publicly supported or disavowed Trump since he ran for president in 2016.
“I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,” she said in an interview with the Guardian in 2019.“It’s crazy,” she added. “Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.”
