Fortunate Son, did the US army send a message to Donald Trump?

As Donald Trump’s military parade was beamed across the world, some viewers wondered if the U.S. leader was being snubbed by his own army.

The parade, which marked the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, also celebrated Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. However, as thousands flocked to the streets, the irony of playing Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1969 anti-war song Fortunate Son was not lost on the crowd.

Released in 1969 during the peak of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, the song highlights how wealthy individuals could avoid military service. It directly challenges the idea of a society where some people are exempt from the responsibilities of military service because they come from politically connected or wealthy families.

Having graduated from college in 1968, Donald Trump was eligible to be drafted and sent to Vietnam; however, he received a diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels. While he would likely have been proud to serve his country, the president has been mocked by critics who believe his exemption had little to do with medical issues and more to do with the fact that he was a fortunate son.

The anti-war song’s lyrics directly address the unfairness of the draft system during the Vietnam War, where the wealthy and powerful could avoid the dangers of war while the working class bore the brunt. Whether the U.S. Army was aware of the song’s lyrics or meaning is unclear, but the fact that it was played as the troops marched in front of Donald Trump has led many to take to X (formerly Twitter) asking if it was deliberate.

Yeah-yeah, some folks inherit star-spangled eyes
Hoo, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask ’em, How much should we give?
Hoo, they only answer, More, more, more, more.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no military son, son, Lord
It ain’t me, it ain’t me
I ain’t no fortunate one, one.

Did the U.S. Army send a message to their president, or was it just a simple mishap?