“God Bless the U.S.A.” singer Lee Greenwood said his friend and fellow inauguration performer Carrie Underwood will “do a great job” on Monday despite the hate she’s been receiving.
“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,’” he told The Post.
The “American Idol” alum was slammed with comments on her Instagram page, criticizing her for performing for Donald Trump, calling her “disgraceful,” “a sellout” and “insurrectionist Barbie.”
Greenwood, 82, who has performed with Underwood at the Country Music Awards, said haters need to “move on.”
“I mean, he is the next president. Come on. Stop this negative crap.”
The Grammy winner will proudly perform his patriotic anthem — which he wrote in 30 minutes in the back of his tour bus in 1983 — right before Trump is sworn in.
“I will sing live with the United States Marine Corps band only moments before Donald Trump swears in as the president,” said Greenwood of his third inauguration appearance. He sang for Trump in 2017 and George H. W. Bush in 1989.
This one will be different. “There’s going to be a lot more security because of the attempt on his life,” he said.
Trump invited Greenwood to perform recently while he and his wife, former Miss Tennessee Kimberly Payne, were guests at Mar-a-Lago.
“My wife and I were standing with him at an event backstage and I said, ‘Are you going to need me in Washington?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely.’”
The California native, who lives in Franklin, TN, sang at six Republican National Conventions, but said introducing Trump after the then-presidential candidate was nearly killed at a rally in Butler, PA, was the most special.
“That may have been the most historic moment for me in all of my performances with presidents,” Greenwood said.
“This is the moment you have to introduce the president to the world again with a bandage on his right ear. I had to go on his time, on his clock. He took very slow steps walking to the box.”
Greenwood took his direction from Donald Trump, Jr., who was cautiously scanning the room.
“He was very serious. He was looking out at the arena. It wasn’t a moment of jubilation. It was like, ‘Is there anybody else going to take a shot at my dad?’”
The country singer has thought about safety on stage.
“I think it’s in the back of my mind. I have several people with Secret Service and ATF that I confide in and they give me the outlook for danger. And we’re well protected normally,” he said.
“I’ve been with the military before at a USO tour where I got shot at. So I know what it feels like. But I’m confident and I’m proud to stand up. If President Trump can stand up there and not be afraid, I am not afraid.”
Greenwood, who also sang as Trump took the stage at his rally at Madison Square Garden, described the atmosphere as he approached the arena.
“There’s people on every street corner. And there’s about 60 to 80 people smashed against the barricade, about 400 or 500 people behind them. So I rolled the window down to talk to policemen. There were about 60 people on the corner with huge Trump flags. And they saw me in the window, and they said, ‘Greenwood’s here! Trump’s right behind him, we know!’” he recalled.
“We were very pleased that not only did Madison Square Garden sell out, but there were 100,000 people in the crowd outside waiting just to get a look at him. I thought New York was going to go red at that point.”
From being on stage with Trump, Greenwood has learned something people may not know about the 47th president.
“He’s a big man. He’s like 6’4.” And many times, I’m on stage, and as a courtesy, I will stand back and salute him and then shake hands. He’ll reach out and grab me and give me a bear hug. He’s strong.”
Greenwood “had no idea” his song would be so famous when he penned it over 40 years ago, and said there’s been a “steady climb” of streams and downloads since Trump reintroduced it to the country.
“And President Trump has said before, when he takes the stage, he’ll say, ‘Well, I hope you’ve made a lot of money from this,’” he said.
“Yes, there is a more critical ascent of a revenue stream. And I’m happy about that. Thank you, President Trump.”
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