President Donald Trump arrived at the Commander-in-Chief Ball shortly after 10 PM ET on Monday, and shared his First Dance with first lady Melania Trump – his first of three ball appearances that night.
Shortly after the band played ‘Americans, We,’ Trump was introduced by an emcee at the Walter Washington Convention Center in Mount Vernon Square, D.C.
The event is geared toward service members.
For his first dance, Trump and first lady Melania Trump danced to a contemporary rendition of Julia Ward Howe’s 1861 Civil War anthem ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’
The song was the clarion call of the Union Army of the Potomac – and the opposite number to the Confederate Army’s ‘Dixie.’
In brief remarks, Trump told the crowd the election was a ‘tremendous win’ and that a big reason he won was ‘my relationship with you (the American people).’
At the military themed ball, he praised his Pentagon chief nominee Pete Hegseth.
Trump also spoke at two other balls later in the night, another located at the Washington Convention Center and the final one located at Union Station.
The Liberty Ball was sandwiched between the Commander-in-Chief Ball and the Starlight Ball.
While the Commander-in-Chief ball was geared towards service members, the Liberty Ball is set to include a wide-range of Trump supporters. It is being headlined by Trump’s address, but, also similar to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, will include some musical performances as well. Those performances will include country singer Jason Aldean, rapper Nelly, and the Village People.
At the Liberty Ball – also held at the convention center – Trump shared another first dance with Mrs. Trump.
Several members of the Trump family then took the stage, along with Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance. They danced to ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers.
Trump told the Liberty Ball crowd it had been ‘a hell of a day.’
The balls follow a jam-packed day of events that included President Trump’s formal swearing-in ceremony, an inaugural parade at Capital One Arena, an Oval Office signing ceremony, and much more.
During the day’s events Trump signed a slew of executive orders related to border security, diversity, equity and inclusion, Jan. 6, energy and the climate, and the federal workforce.
The number of orders he signed outnumbered how many Trump signed during his first day in office in 2017, as well as the number that President Biden signed during his first day as president.
The Liberty Ball is set to include a wide-range of Trump supporters. It is being headlined by Trump’s address, but, also similar to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, will include some musical performances as well.