Trump’s inauguration of national anthem singer Christopher Macchio belts out song

On By Littum

Opera singer Christopher Macchio unleashed a booming version of the national anthem at the conclusion of the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Wearing a midnight blue velvet jacket, dark slacks and a white shirt without a tie, Macchio belted out “The Star-Spangled Banner” and clutched the microphone in his left hand as many gathered in the Capitol Rotunda stood with either hands over their hearts or, like Trump, in a floor show.

Macchio handled the trickier parts of the storied song with ease, his voice booming over the instrumentation and his eyes narrowing during the song’s final notes.

After his performance, Macchio immediately turned to Trump, shook his hand with a smile and raised a fist as he left the area of ​​the president’s podium.

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Who is national anthem singer Christopher Macchio?

The Italian-American classical crossover singer (not related to actor Ralph Macchio), performs as both a soloist and a member of the New York Tenors.

His history with Trump stretches back nearly a decade, when he filled in at the last minute at a New Year’s party at Mar-a-Lago. The friendship between the two was strengthened when Macchio sang at the 2020 memorial for Trump’s brother, Robert.

Macchio, 46, also appeared at the 2020 Republican National Convention, where he offered his versions of “Nessun Dorma,” “Ave Maria” and “God Bless America,” and returned for another go-round at the 2024 convention. He was invited by Trump to sing at his homecoming rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, three months after an assassination attempt at the site.

The Long Island native told Fox 5 New York that when he received the call and was told he was Trump’s “first and only choice” to sing the national anthem, “I yelled yes and tapped the marble countertop in my kitchen 20 times and said yes … I’m just trying to deliver music on a way it has an emotional impact on people.”

Macchio has released two albums, “Dolci Momenti” and “O Holy Night” and in 2024 made his acting debut as an Italian singer in the biopic “Cabrini”.