“Cancel it”: Trump criticizes artists who pulled out of Freedom 250 festival
Donald Trump has called for the cancellation of the Freedom 250 music festival after several artists withdrew from the event, Qazinform News Agency reports.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump proposed replacing the concert program with a large-scale Make America Great Again 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. Cancel it,” Trump wrote.
The remarks came after several performers announced they would no longer participate in the Great American State Fair, a 16-day festival organized by Freedom 250 as part of celebrations marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
The original lineup included Martina McBride, C+C Music Factory, Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Young MC, The Commodores, Morris Day & The Time, Flo Rida and Bret Michaels.
Martina McBride, Young MC, The Commodores, Morris Day & The Time, Bret Michaels later withdrew from the event.
Young MC wrote on Facebook that artists had never been informed about any political involvement in the event. He added that despite organizers’ claims that the festival was nonpartisan, it had been described by media outlets as Trump-backed.
“The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event,” Young MC wrote. He also said he hoped to perform in Washington, D.C., in the future at an event that is “not so politically charged.”
Martina McBride said she had agreed to perform after being assured that the event was nonpartisan and intended to celebrate all 50 states. However, she later stated that “what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening,” adding that the opportunity had ultimately proved misleading.
Despite the withdrawals, Vanilla Ice remains committed to the event, while Flo Rida is still listed on the festival schedule.
Freedom 250 was established with support from the Trump administration to organize events commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. The White House is partnering with the organization on preparations for the celebrations planned for 2026.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Donald Trump announced plans to step back from leadership of the Kennedy Center after a federal judge ruled that the institution could not be renamed without congressional approval.