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Trump demands cancellation of 250th anniversary concerts
US President Donald Trump has urged organizers to scrap planned musical performances celebrating America's 250th birthday, calling the lineup "overpriced" and "boring" after multiple artists withdrew over political ties to the White House.
Artist withdrawals spark backlash
Of the nine acts originally announced for the Great American State Fair concert series, only three remain: Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli's Fab Morvan, and Flo Rida. Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC, and Bret Michaels pulled out, citing concerns about the event's perceived partisanship.
Young MC, known for his 1989 hit Bust a Move, said on social media that performers were not informed of "political involvement" and expressed hope for future non-political performances in Washington, DC. McBride stated she was misled about the event's nonpartisan nature.
"This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America's birthday."
Vanilla Ice, in an Instagram video
Trump proposes rally as alternative
In a Truth Social post, Trump mocked the departing artists as suffering from "the yips"-a golf term for performance anxiety-and suggested replacing the concerts with a "Make America Great Again" rally. He claimed he could draw larger crowds than Elvis Presley at his peak and ordered aides to explore the feasibility of hosting a rally at the same time and location as the canceled shows.
Later, he doubled down, writing: "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."
Event background and White House involvement
The Great American State Fair, part of a broader 250th anniversary celebration, was launched by the Trump administration through Freedom 250, a group led by a presidentially appointed CEO. While Freedom 250 describes the event as nonpartisan, the White House is a partner, and Trump is set to headline the opening ceremony on June 24.
Congress established America250 a decade ago to oversee bipartisan commemorations, including July 4 events in New York, Philadelphia, and California. However, Trump signed an executive order last year creating a separate task force to plan "a grand celebration," which led to Freedom 250's formation.
Remaining events and controversies
The 16-day fair, scheduled for June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall, includes a UFC fight on the White House lawn, a Grand Prix race in August, and limited-edition passports featuring Trump's portrait. Despite the withdrawals, Freedom 250 spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez confirmed Trump's participation in the opening ceremony, calling him the "visionary" behind the event.
Milli Vanilli's original vocalists, however, announced they would not perform, though Fab Morvan remains on the bill.
