Lee Greenwood Gives Passengers a Patriotic Message Mid-Flight, With a Joke for Anyone Who Takes Offense
Lee Greenwood turned an ordinary Southwest flight into an unexpected patriotic moment over the weekend, telling passengers why he remains proud to be an American before breaking into a short performance of his signature song, “God Bless the USA.”
His message came just one day after he returned to Yankee Stadium to perform the song during the 25th-anniversary commemoration of the September 11 attacks. The Yankees had announced Greenwood’s performance as part of the pregame tribute honoring the victims, first responders and others affected by the tragedy.
On Sept. 12, while traveling from New York City, Greenwood took over the cabin’s public-address system and spoke directly to the passengers. One passenger recorded the moment and later shared the video on Instagram.
Greenwood opens with a joke
Greenwood, who is known for his outspoken conservative views, began with a line that immediately drew laughter from several people aboard the plane.
“If what I’m about to do offends anybody, well, you’re welcome to step out on the wing,” he joked.
The remark set the tone for what followed: a personal explanation of why the singer associates “God Bless the USA” with American freedom and the sacrifices made to protect it.
Greenwood explained that he wrote the song in 1982 and recorded it in 1984. He also recalled performing it 25 years earlier in response to the September 11 attacks.
For Greenwood, the song centers on the country and the freedoms Americans enjoy.
“A lot of people are coming to America now, nobody’s trying to get out,” he told the passengers, adding that he believes people come to the United States because the country honors those who fight for its freedom.
He sings part of “God Bless the USA”
Greenwood then turned his attention to any members of the military who might have been aboard the flight and began singing the opening portion of “God Bless the USA.”
The verse describes losing everything one has worked for and having to start over with only a spouse and children, while still being grateful to live in a country where the flag represents freedom.
Greenwood paused during the song and asked the passengers a rhetorical question: “Who are ‘they’?”
He then offered his own explanation of the line, saying that “they” refers to anyone who would want to take Americans’ freedoms away.
He added that he stands with the president and with anyone willing to defend the American flag and the country.
The cabin joined him for the chorus
Greenwood then returned to the song and sang its familiar chorus, including the well-known line, “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free.”
The chorus goes on to honor the men who died to secure that freedom and expresses Greenwood’s willingness to stand beside others in defending the country. It ends with his declaration of love for America and the familiar phrase, “God bless the USA.”
When he finished, the cabin responded with applause.
“Thank you very much,” Greenwood said.
The impromptu performance came only a day after his appearance at Yankee Stadium, where he performed “God Bless the USA” as part of the Yankees’ Sept. 11 remembrance program. The 2026 ceremony marked 25 years since the attacks, with the Yankees also honoring members of the NYPD, FDNY, Port Authority Police Department and organizations involved in supporting victims and their families.
A song closely tied to September 11
“God Bless the USA” has had a long association with moments of national tragedy and remembrance. Greenwood’s connection to September 11 goes back to 2001, when he performed the song at the original Yankee Stadium before Game 4 of the World Series, only weeks after the attacks.
The Yankees welcomed him back to the Bronx on Sept. 11, 2026, for the 25th anniversary commemoration. The team noted that his 2001 performance had become part of the city’s remembrance of the victims and first responders.
The following day, Greenwood brought that same patriotic message to an entirely different setting: the cabin of a commercial flight.
Rather than a stadium filled with thousands of fans, his audience consisted of fellow passengers. His comments about freedom, military sacrifice and his affection for the United States were met with laughter at the opening joke, followed by applause when he finished singing.
For a few minutes, a routine flight became an impromptu performance of one of Greenwood’s best-known songs
Watch Lee Greenwood’s passionate statement on why he’s proud to be an American, here: