Insiders Say Carrie Underwood’s Connection to Donald Trump Could Hurt Her New Gig on American Idol: ‘The Brand Takes a Hit’

Despite being mum on all things politics for years, Carrie Underwood showed who she stands behind after her viral decision to sing “America the Beautiful” at US President Donald Trump’s inauguration. And now, it seems the past is coming back to haunt her as she tries to make it as a judge on American Idol. (Underwood was the winner in Season 4 and how, she’s a judge for the 2026 season.)

In fact, insiders recently told Rob Shuter in his Naughty but Nice Substack that her affiliation with Trump may hurt the brand.

“The show needs mass appeal,” one source said. “Politics instantly split the audience, and that’s the opposite of what Idol is built on.”

A second source added, “The show needs mass appeal. Politics instantly split the audience, and that’s the opposite of what Idol is built on.”

Another insider added, “Once viewers stop talking about contestants and start arguing about judges, the brand takes a hit… The last thing producers want is a judge turning into a political lightning rod.”

Carrie UnderwoodKristina Bumphrey/Penske Media

In case you need a reminder, Underwood performed back in early 2025, and released a statement about her feelings on the event.“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” she said to Today. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

However, the event had quite a few bumps in the road, and it ended up affecting Underwood’s moment. “Carrie was dissatisfied with her performance at the event, primarily due to the limited space she was given, which left her feeling cramped and uncomfortable,” a source revealed to DailyMail, saying she claimed she “afforded the same level of respect” as other previous artists.