Donald Trump’s Class War Against the Poor Helped Destroy the YMCA

There’s something deeply ironic about Donald Trump’s bizarre, pre-election “YMCA” video: You can no longer stay at the Village People’s YMCA in Manhattan, because the gentrification carried out by real estate barons like Trump drove out housing for poor people.

Donald Trump dances at the end of a rally at Carson City Airport in Carson City, Nevada on October 18, 2020.


Donald Trump’s last dance before the election was a bizarre one.

On Tuesday morning, he tweeted a surreal supercut of himself dancing (spasming?) to “YMCA,” an act that’s become his calling card on the campaign trail despite the objections of the Village People.

Many commentators have snarked about the juxtaposition of the nation’s top Republican official gyrating to the disco classic that’s been heralded as a gay anthem. But there’s an even deeper irony here: You can no longer stay at the Village People’s YMCA in Manhattan — and Trump is a big reason why.

Sorry, but this article is available to active subscribers only. Please log in or become a subscriber.