Photo Credit: Marcus (iStrfry)
After several artists dropped out of the planned US Freedom 250 festival, Trump said “cancel it,” calling the planned performers “overpriced” and “boring.”
President Trump is cancelling the planned musical performances for the United States’ 250th birthday after several artists dropped out. By Sunday (May 31), only a few acts remained on the bill out of the nine artists originally announced.
Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC, and Bret Michaels have all dropped out. That leaves Vanilla Ice and one half of Milli Vanilli (the public-facing side; neither vocal performer will be in attendance) slated for June 26, and Flo Rida on July 2. But Trump posted on his Truth Social that he is considering replacing the event with a MAGA rally.
“We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain,” Trump wrote.
“Cancel it, just like I canceled my involvement with the failing and unsafe to be in Kennedy Center, because a Highly Conflicted, Crooked Federal Judge, said that I should not be allowed to spend my time and money in order to MAKE THE CENTER GREAT AGAIN, actually, far greater than it ever was before!” he added, referencing the decision made earlier this week to disallow the Kennedy Center’s closure for two years’ time, and requiring the historic venue to remove all signage that added Trump’s name.
Meanwhile, festivities for the nation’s birthday are still taking place—just apparently not a concert series.
Freedom 250, the group behind the planned Great American State Fair concert series, was launched last year by the Trump administration, and Trump named its CEO. However, the group says the event is non-partisan. The White House is partnering with Freedom 250 on the event, the opening ceremony for which Trump will headline.
Notably, the organization is not to be confused with America250, which Congress created a decade ago to arrange and oversee events commemorating the country’s 250th birthday. That group is led by appointees from both sides of the aisle and is holding its own events. These include Fourth of July celebrations in New York City, Philadelphia, and California, as well as block parties across the nation.
