A 2005 clip of Donald Trump singing the theme song to the television show Green Acres while dressed as a farmer is circulating widely online as the United States continues military operations against Iran, now in their fourth day.
The footage, originally from a segment at the 57th Primetime Emmy Awards, shows Trump performing alongside actress Megan Mullally, known for her role as Karen Walker in the sitcom Will &. Grace. The performance was part of a parody competition called “Emmy Idol,” hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, where television stars performed classic TV theme songs, according to Newsweek.
Trump, then the host of NBC’s The Apprentice, appeared in overalls and a straw hat, carrying a pitchfork. Mullally, in character as Karen Walker, playfully altered the lyrics to reference “Trump Tower.” The pair ultimately won the audience vote, though no official Emmy awards were given for the segment.
The resurfacing of the clip has prompted comparisons between Trump’s earlier public persona and his current role as president during a period of heightened international conflict. Social media users have commented on the stark contrast between the comedic performance and the gravity of the ongoing military campaign. One Instagram user, in a post with over 2.9 million views, wrote, “Politics aside, imagine going back to 2005 and telling people this is the dude who ends up kidnapping the Venezuelan president, bombing Iran and clipping the Ayatollah.”
According to ABC News, Trump himself re-posted the video on Twitter in December 2018, ahead of the signing of the Farm Bill, writing, “Farm Bill signing in 15 minutes! #Emmys #TBT.” At the signing ceremony, Trump referenced the performance, stating, “I sang ‘Green Acres’ and received a very nice award that night.”
Mullally responded to Trump’s 2018 tweet with a series of posts, including, “OMG” and “if you guys demand me, i’ll be in a hole in the ground,” accompanied by several emojis.
The renewed attention to the 2005 performance comes as the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran enters its fourth day, following initial strikes on Iranian military targets. Iran has since launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks, raising concerns about a potential escalation of the conflict and prompting evacuation warnings for U.S. Citizens in the Middle East.
The clip has resurfaced periodically over the years, but its current circulation is directly linked to the ongoing crisis, highlighting the shift from entertainment figure to wartime president. In a 2016 appearance on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, Mullally recalled that Trump “wanted to win” the Emmy Idol competition, and that after their victory, Trump called her to emphasize their win, stating, “We really needed to win that thing and we did…and you were a big part of that. Not only did we win it, we killed them. It was a landslide.”
