The star-studded draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Washington D.C. was meant to spotlight international soccer, but a fleeting, unscripted moment between world leaders is stealing some of the attention. As pop group The Village People performed their classic “YMCA” on stage, cameras captured U.S. President Donald Trump interacting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and First Lady Melania Trump. Now, a professional lip reader in the U.K. has offered a public interpretation of what was said during the lively performance.
According to lip reading expert Jeremy Freeman, who analyzed the footage for the New York Post, President Trump appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the performance. Freeman suggests Trump leaned over to Prime Minister Carney and said, “I love this,” as the iconic song played. The President was also seen subtly dancing in his seat, with Freeman interpreting a follow-up comment to Carney: “Come on, they make me happy.” In a separate moment, the lip reader indicates the President seemed to encourage the First Lady to participate, saying to Melania Trump, “Come on, join in.”
The lighthearted moment provided a stark contrast to the substantive, high-stakes diplomacy that occurred just before and after the ceremony. The three leaders—Trump, Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum—represent nations whose trade relationships have been under significant strain due to recent U.S. tariff policies. Despite the public camaraderie at the draw, the leaders held a private, nearly hour-long meeting immediately afterward, with no staff present, to discuss these pressing matters. The lip-read exchange, whether entirely accurate or not, offers a glimpse of the human and informal interactions that occur amidst the formal pageantry of global politics.
