President Donald Trump had a question for the reporters flying home with him from Ireland on Sunday: Did they want to hear his playlist? They did, and a flight attendant soon arrived in the Air Force One press cabin with a large speaker and a collection of songs labeled “APPROVED RALLY PLAYLIST.” Trump was working elsewhere on the plane, but his music was about to provide the soundtrack for the trip across the Atlantic.
A fun moment on Air Force One tonight somewhere over the Atlantic. Two officials came back to the press cabin relaying message from the president — did we want to listen to his playlist while he worked?
We obliged. And here’s some of what we got;
Jolene — Dolly Parton
The… pic.twitter.com/Lx8vrBjQTW— Connor Stringer (@connorstringer) September 14, 2026
It was not a playlist that settled on one mood for long. Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” shared space with Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me,” Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” and R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” Then came The Who’s “Baba O’Riley,” Luciano Pavarotti singing “Nessun Dorma,” ABBA’s “Fernando” and Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain.” Somewhere in the mix was the Undertaker’s WWE entrance music, an abrupt turn even by the standards of a presidential flight.
The songs were familiar to anyone who has watched Trump linger over the music at one of his rallies. This time, though, the audience was a cabin full of journalists several hours from landing. Telegraph correspondent Connor Stringer, who was aboard the plane, described it as “a fun moment” over the Atlantic.
Trump eventually came back to see how his selections had landed. Wearing a blue suit without a tie and carrying a piece of paper, he asked, “I just wanted to make sure everyone’s OK with the music?” Then he explained the gesture: “I picked most of them, I just want to make you happy.” The reporters told him they had enjoyed it, according to the White House pool report.
You can listen to some of the music below:
The impromptu listening party followed a two-day visit to Ireland that included meetings with Irish leaders and a stop at Trump’s golf course in Doonbeg for the Irish Open. Air Force One landed at Joint Base Andrews late Sunday night, bringing the trip—and the press cabin’s turn with the presidential playlist—to an end.
