For years, President Donald Trump has shown a remarkable talent for keeping the spotlight fixed on himself.
Whether placing his name on programs, products, buildings, or government initiatives, Trump seems to have made his second term as much about branding as governing. But one Democratic congresswoman turned that strategy against him. She did it with a dance move.
Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio has spent much of the last year battling Trump administration policies.
She’s joined fellow Congressional Black Caucus members like Hakeem Jeffries, Yvette Clarke, and Angela Alsobrooks. The longtime civil rights advocate has challenged Trump’s signature legislative agenda. She has also fought his attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
But after scoring one of her biggest victories yet, Beatty chose celebration over another press conference.
She chose trolling.
The Democratic lawmaker recently posted an Instagram Reel showing herself dancing in the Kennedy Center Hall of Nations to the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.,” a song that has become closely associated with Trump’s rallies and his often-mocked dance moves.
“Am I doing the dance right, Trump?” Beatty wrote in the caption.
The playful jab came just days after workers were ordered to remove Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center following a lengthy legal battle that Beatty helped lead.
The fight began after a Trump-allied board voted in late 2025 to rename the Washington, D.C., institution the Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Critics immediately blasted the move as disrespectful to President John F. Kennedy’s legacy and legally questionable.
Beatty, who serves as an ex officio member of the board, challenged the decision in court.
Her central argument was simple: Congress created the Kennedy Center as a living memorial to Kennedy in 1964. Therefore, only Congress had the authority to change its name.
A federal judge ultimately agreed.
In a sweeping ruling issued on May 29, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper declared the renaming unlawful, writing that Congress named the Kennedy Center and only Congress could rename it. The court ordered Trump’s name removed from the building, website, and promotional materials.
The timing carried special symbolism. May 29 also happened to be Kennedy’s birthday. Although the physical removal of Trump’s name did not occur until June 13, many opponents viewed the court victory as a fitting tribute to the late president.
The Trump administration reportedly pursued multiple last-minute appeals and even attempted to secure a brief delay, citing weather concerns. Those efforts failed.
Workers eventually erected scaffolding under the cover of darkness and removed the signage before the court’s deadline expired. For Beatty, the victory appeared to call for a celebration.
Her dance video quickly attracted thousands of reactions online.
“Soror Beatty…you are truly doing the Lord’s work!!” one supporter wrote. Another commenter added, ”You are a NATIONAL TREASURE!!” A third person joked, “You have too much coordination. You need to teach him.”
Another supporter offered, “Thank you. We love and appreciate you!!”
One viewer appeared especially amused by Beatty’s recreation of Trump’s signature moves: “Over here thinking.. Why is it so slow and off rhythm… and so accurate.”
The response highlighted a recurring challenge for Trump.
Throughout his political career, critics have often argued that his greatest vulnerability is not policy criticism but public ridicule. Opponents, like Gov. Gavin Newsom, have repeatedly used humor, satire, and memes to puncture the larger-than-life image he carefully cultivates.
Beatty’s video hit him precisely in that territory.
Rather than issuing a lengthy statement about constitutional authority or historical preservation, she turned a legal victory into a viral moment.
She used Trump’s signature moves. She used his favorite campaign song. In doing so, she turned the spotlight back on him. She celebrated a rare defeat for the administration.
For a congresswoman known more for committee hearings than social media antics, the post showed a surprisingly playful side. Judging by the reactions, her followers loved every second of it. More importantly, it reminded critics of something else.
Trump has spent years putting his name on buildings, programs, and public projects. Usually, people just let him. However, there are some still willing to fight.
They want to keep some monuments focused on the leaders they were originally built to honor.
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