The exposure Jackie Evancho received on “America’s Got Talent” kicked her career into high gear. By 2017, the then-16-year-old had released half a dozen studio albums and experimented with acting, appearing alongside Robert Redford in the 2012 thriller “The Company You Keep.” She also showcased her talents at numerous events, including the 2010 National Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House. Barack Obama was president at the time and Jackie was initially excited when she received another invitation from a different president: Donald Trump wanted her to sing the national anthem at his inauguration.
Before Trump was sworn in, there were fears that he would roll back hard-won LGBTQ rights. Jackie’s sister, Juliet Evancho, is transgender, so some of the singer’s fans couldn’t understand why Jackie was willing to participate in the inauguration. But Jackie told USA Today that Juliet supported her decision and dismissed the criticism. “It’s an honor to perform for my country and I don’t really do politics,” she said.
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A month later, Jackie tweeted her disappointment when Trump overturned Obama-era guidance that protected transgender students. She also begged Trump to meet with her and Juliet to discuss transgender rights, but Trump never returned the big favor she did for him by being one of the only singers willing to perform at his inauguration. This had Jackie singing a different tune about her performance. “Yeah, I guess there’s a little regret,” she told the Daily News in 2019.
