Trump Doesn't Know Words to Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North of Richmond'

Former President Donald Trump struggled to sing along to Oliver Anthony's viral hit, "Rich Men North of Richmond," in a video shared to social media.

Trump addressed supporters at a golf course in Virginia where he cued Anthony's track to play on the loudspeaker as those around him sang along.

The former president began by attempting to mime the words but stopped and swayed along to the music instead, before pointing to people in the crowd.

"Singing Rich Men north of Richmond with #45," wrote the person who shared the clip to TikTok.

The awkward moment was then picked up on X, formerly Twitter, where many pointed out Anthony's song was about people like Trump.

Anthony went viral in August when podcaster Joe Rogan shared a video of him performing "Rich Men North of Richmond," which has been celebrated as a working class and anti-establishment anthem. The controversial lyrics take aim at politicians, "welfare cheats," taxation, obesity and even conspiracy theory group, QAnon.

Trump, who was a property mogul and TV celebrity before becoming president, seemed to be the type of person Anthony was singing about.

"Trump doesn't know a single lyric to that song lmao," wrote one person.

Another added: "He doesn't realize it's about how him and his type rip the working man off."

Elsewhere on X someone commented: "The rich men north of Richmond are all jamming out to rich men north of Richmond. Say what you will about trump, but one good thing about him is that he doesn't know a single word to this terrible fake manufactured psy op of a song."

And a fourth wrote on the original TikTok: "He IS the rich man north of Richmond."

Newsweek contacted Anthony by email for comment.

The song was also played at the first Republican presidential candidate debate on August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a fact Anthony found "funny."

At the beginning of the broadcast hosted by Fox News, anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum referenced the song, before showing a clip of Anthony singing. They then asked why they thought the song was resonating with Americans.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the highest polling candidate on stage, retorted first by blaming President Joe Biden and then saying that those "rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation."

A few days after the debate, Anthony reacted to the comments in a YouTube video.

"It was funny seeing it at the presidential debate because it's like, I wrote that song about those people, you know? So, for them to have to sit there and listen to that, it cracks me up," Anthony said, laughing. "It was kind of funny seeing the response to it. That song has nothing to do with Joe Biden; it's a lot bigger than Joe Biden.

"That song is written about the people on that stage and a lot more, too—not just them but definitely them."