Should Disney Drop MAGA Christian Performers From 2025 Christmas Special?

The Walt Disney Company revealed its talent lineup for the 2025 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade last week, and the announcement has generated unexpected controversy. Among the seven musical artists scheduled to perform holiday classics at various Disney Park locations, two have documented connections to conservative political movements and President Donald Trump’s MAGA platform.

Annual Disney Parks Christmas Tradition Returns

Broadcasting on Christmas Day across ABC, Disney+, and Hulu, the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade represents one of the longest-running holiday television traditions in America. The special debuted in 1983 as a simple parade broadcast but evolved over four decades into an elaborate production featuring celebrity hosts, musical performances at Disney parks worldwide, and footage from Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade at Magic Kingdom Park.

Alfonso Ribeiro, recognized for his roles on Dancing with the Stars and America’s Funniest Home Videos, will host the 42nd annual broadcast alongside Ginnifer Goodwin, who most recently starred in Zootopia 2 (2025), and Maia Kealoha, the star of Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch (2025). On December 10, Disney Parks Blog announced the following musical performances:

• Gwen Stefani – “White Christmas” from Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort
• Coco Jones – “This Christmas” from Millennium Falcon at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Iam Tongi – “The Christmas Song” from Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina Hawai’i
• Lady A – “Winter Wonderland” from World Celebration Gardens at EPCOT
• Nicole Scherzinger – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” from Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Resort
• Mariah the Scientist – “Please Come Home for Christmas” from Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
• Bebe Rexha – “Last Christmas” from Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park

However, two performers on this list have drawn scrutiny from Disney Parks fans concerned about their political affiliations: Gwen Stefani and Nicole Scherzinger.

Gwen Stefani’s Political Evolution Under Microscope

Stefani achieved superstardom as the lead singer of No Doubt before launching a successful solo career and becoming a fixture on NBC’s The Voice. Her marriage to country musician Blake Shelton in 2021 intensified scrutiny of her political views, as Shelton had publicly supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

During the 2000s, Stefani cultivated an image as a feminist pop culture figure and openly endorsed Barack Obama during both presidential campaigns. However, her more recent behavior has raised questions about shifting political allegiances. She’s praised Tucker Carlson, a prominent conservative media personality, and follows several right-wing commentators on social media, including Candace Owens.

Stefani has also advocated for “traditional families” and collaborated with Hallow, a faith-based mobile application that promotes anti-abortion messaging. While Stefani hasn’t publicly declared a party affiliation, she grew up Catholic and continues to practice Christianity, according to multiple reports.

Nicole Scherzinger Faces Backlash Over Russell Brand Interaction

Scherzinger rose to prominence as the Pussycat Dolls’ lead performer before transitioning to Broadway, where she won a 2025 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard.” However, her acclaimed Broadway run encountered turbulence when she engaged with actor and comedian Russell Brand on social media.

In 2024, Brand posted an Instagram selfie wearing a red baseball cap mimicking Donald Trump’s iconic “Make America Great Again” merchandise. Brand’s version substituted “Make Jesus First Again” as the slogan. Scherzinger commented on the post: “Where do I get this hat!!!? 🙏🏽❤️”

Nicole Scherzinger appears to endorse Trump in Russell Brand’s Instagram comments.

Nicole Scherzinger appears to endorse Trump in Russell Brand's Instagram comments.
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Her comment generated immediate backlash, particularly from the Broadway community, which is known for its progressive values and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Some theater fans organized boycotts of “Sunset Boulevard” following Scherzinger’s Instagram activity. The performer responded with a lengthy apology:

“I deeply apologize for the hurt caused by my recent engagement with some social media posts. When I commented on these posts, I made the mistake of not realizing that they could be easily interpreted as being politically related and I apologize to anyone who understandably reached that conclusion.

Many presumptions are being drawn, which do not reflect who I am, what I stand for, or who I voted for. Many of the marginalized communities feeling hurt and concerned by the results of the presidential election are people I care about most. I stand with them, as I always have, throughout my life and career. If you know me, you know that.

Like so many others, in times of adversity and uncertainty, I turn to my faith. I believed that the posts I engaged with were about encouraging people to choose love and faith — ‘putting Jesus first.’ For me Christ embodies peace, compassion, hope, and above all — unconditional love, especially for those who may feel it the least right now.

I come from a place of love, and I will always support values that bring us closer together. It’s so important we come together with compassion, and love one another more now than ever.”

Will Disney Take Action?

All performances for the Christmas special were filmed throughout November at various Disney properties, meaning production has essentially come to a close. Removing either performer would require extensive re-editing and potentially reshooting segments, representing significant financial and logistical challenges for Disney. Whether Disney will choose to address fan concerns about Stefani and Scherzinger’s political associations remains uncertain.

Which performer in the 2025 Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade are you most excited about? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!