Kelly Stafford defends Carrie Underwood performing at Trump’s inauguration



Kelly Stafford is cheering on Carrie Underwood right now.

The wife of NFL star Matthew Stafford and her “Morning After” podcast co-host, Hank Winchester, discussed the inauguration on Wednesday’s episode, and gave Underwood her due for ignoring the divisive political climate by performing at Donald Trump’s swearing-in earlier this week.

Kelly Stafford in an Instagram photo. kbstafford89/Instagram

“I thought Carrie Underwood was fantastic,” said Winchester. “I don’t like people coming after her for… to me, no matter who I voted for, if a sitting president calls me and says, would you like to come to the White House? I’m going to the White House.

“Put your politics aside,” Winchester added. “A president is a president you honor and respect the office.”

Carrie Underwood singing at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Getty Images
Underwood after performing “America the Beautiful” at Trump’s inauguration. Getty Images

After Winchester brought up how Underwood was forced to sing a cappella at the inauguration because of a technical difficulty with the music, Stafford took her turn to praise the country singer.

“I love that I didn’t know her stance on politics,” Stafford said. “I mean, I just feel like that’s kind of amazing. And I think it surprised a lot of people that she was going to perform.”

Stafford — who admitted that she missed most of the inauguration because she was flying home from the Rams’ game against the Eagles in Philly — agreed with Winchester that “we have to just respect the power at hand.”

Matthew and Kelly Stafford at the NFC Championship in 2022. Getty Images
Kelly and Matthew Stafford with their children. kbstafford89/Instagram

“When they’re in there, you can’t change it,” she said, referring to people upset that Trump, 78, is president. “You just gotta pray that they make the right decisions for this country. You gotta support any way you can, even if you don’t like them. You just gotta do it until the next term and then we’ll bitch again.

“But people are in place,” Stafford noted. “It is what it is.”

The conversation then shifted to political fights, which Stafford said she doesn’t get involved in because “I just don’t care enough.”

Melania and Donald Trump at the inauguration. REUTERS

When it was announced Underwood would sing “America the Beautiful” at the inauguration, she said in a statement, “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. 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.”

Her decision sparked mixed reactions.

“The View” co-host Joy Behar questioned how Underwood could possibly love America while agreeing to perform at the ceremony.

Underwood performing on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. WireImage

But Behar’s co-host, Whoopi Goldberg, defended Underwood. The EGOT winner said on the talk show, “I stand behind her. Because if I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform someplace, I believe they have the same right.”

Lee Greenwood, who also performed at the inauguration, similarly spoke out in support of Underwood’s decision.

“I pity those people that think they have to reach out to a star like her and run some negativity past her when all you have to do is say, ‘Thank you for performing for our next president,’” Greenwood told The Post before the inauguration.

Lee Greenwood performs at the inauguration. Getty Images

At the ceremony, a technical snafu forced Underwood to perform a cappella in front of the audience, who joined her in signing the political anthem.

Some critics, including Ariana Grande and Mandy Moore, mocked Underwood on the internet after the incident.

Others such as Jason Aldean gave Underwood the credit that they felt she deserved.

Ariana Grande at a Golden Globes event in December. Getty Images
Mandy Moore at a Golden Globes party. Getty Images
Jason Aldean at the Fox News DC Bureau. Getty Images

“To not have that [a track], for her to just kinda say, ‘All right, listen, we’ll go,’ ” Aldean said on Tuesday’s “Fox & Friends.”

“That’s a big move and that’s a pro move on her part, so I thought it was great,” he added.



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