These music stars pull out of President Trump’s Freedom 250 concert
Several artists scheduled to perform at the Great American State Fair, sponsored by President Trump’s nonprofit organization Freedom 250, have pulled out of the event.
It’s only been a day since the announcement of the “first wave” of performers for the Great American State Fair, hosted by President Donald Trump-backed Freedom 250, but multiple performers have already pulled out of the show, claiming they were not informed of their political affiliations.
Freedom 250 spokeswoman Rachel Reisner said in a May 28 statement to USA TODAY that the organization is “dedicated to uniting Americans in commemoration of our nation’s 250th anniversary.”
“Freedom 250 focuses on our signature celebrations and events that celebrate our history and engage all Americans, and we welcome all who share our goal of commemorating this milestone in a way that uplifts and unites America,” added Reisner.
Here’s a look at which performers have pulled out, and who’s still scheduled to take the stage.
Who turned down the Freedom 250 from performing at the Great American State Fair?
Morris Day and Young MC announced on May 27th that they would not be participating in the event scheduled for June 25th to July 10th.
“That’s a no to me 😎,” Morris Day and the Time said in a May 27 Instagram post. The artist did not elaborate on the reason for his withdrawal.
Young MC said in a Facebook post on May 27 that he informed his agent that he would not be performing at the “Freedom 250 Event.”
“The artists were not informed of any political involvement in this event,” the rapper said in the post. “And despite organizers’ claims that the event is nonpartisan, SPIN magazine states that the event is pro-Trump. I hope to perform in Washington, D.C., at a less political event in the near future.”
R&B group Milli Vanilli has also declined future concerts, and singer Jodi Rocco told The Associated Press in an email on May 28 that the group had not been contacted to perform at the event.
“My sister and I were shocked to see our name ‘Milli Vanilli’ as one of the performers,” Rocco told the show.
The Commodores also announced their absence, sharing the news in an Instagram post on May 28, saying, “The Commodores will not be performing at the Great American State Fair.”
“Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party. We support the upliftment of all Americans,” the post reads.
Country musician Martina McBride was originally scheduled to perform on June 25, but withdrew on May 28, writing to X that she had been misunderstood to be performing at a “nonpartisan event.”
“I thought of this as just an expanded version of the many state fairs I’ve appeared at over the years, celebrating the local communities and the character of each state. Sounds fun, right? Healthy even? Yesterday things started to change, and what we were told was not actually happening,” she wrote.
she continued. “I’ve had the opportunity to be a voice for those who felt they didn’t have a voice. I’m very upset that fans who have been touched by my music feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you that’s not the case. I’m grateful to each and every fan who has reached out. I hope to be back in the D.C. area soon.”
Who is still appearing at the Great American State Fair in the Freedom 250?
According to the group’s post on X, the following artists are listed as performing at the Freedom 250 event, which has not yet received any comments:
- C+C Music Factory (June 26th)
- Vanilla Ice (June 26)
- Flo Rida (July 2nd)
- Bret Michaels (July 3)
The organization’s X post hinted at additional names to come.
C+C Music Factory are still scheduled to perform, but frontman Freedom Williams said in a seven-minute rant posted on Facebook and his Instagram account that he had initially planned to quit the show after learning of Trump’s involvement, but decided to go ahead to show he didn’t care about the backlash from angry commenters.
Later, in a May 28 post on Instagram, C&C Music Factory stated, “We do not participate in or support any particular political party.”
The band stated, “We take a neutral stance on both sides. We stand on the side of Global Love & Peace,” adding that Freedom Williams was “just misrepresenting C&C Music Factory,” and advised them to “vent it on their personal page and let it be known.”
What is the Great American State Fair?
The Day & Young MCs were included on the list of performers, along with Martina McBride, Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice, scheduled to perform at the 16-day Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The fair, which runs from June 25 to July 10, is sponsored by Freedom 250, a nonprofit organization founded by President Trump to plan the 500th anniversary celebration. This is one of many events the Freedom 250 has planned for the nation’s capital, including World Cup watch parties, IndyCar races, and athletic competitions for high school students.
The event will transform the National Mall into “the nation’s largest and boldest state fair,” according to the organization’s website. Attractions such as a Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round are planned. A rodeo and livestock competitions are also scheduled.
How to Attend Freedom 250 at the Great American State Fair
The Great American State Fair is open to the public. Walk-ups are welcome, but you can register for free tickets on the Freedom 250 website. Your ticket will show you the activities planned for each of the 16 days and will also list the music for the 4th of July.
The lineup of daily programming themes is as follows:
- Thursday, June 25th – The American Canon: Opening Day
- Friday June 26th – Land and Prosperity (Agriculture)
- Saturday June 27th – American Canvas (Art)
- Sunday, June 28th – Military and Veterans Appreciation Day
- Monday June 29th – Everyday Health and Happiness
- Tuesday, June 30th – America’s Future (Innovation)
- Wednesday 1st July – Faith, Values and Inspiration
- Thursday, July 2 – Horsepower of America (Mechanical)
- Friday 3rd July – Wings of Freedom (Flight)
- Saturday, July 4th – Independence Day Celebration
- Sunday 5th July – Heritage & Legacy (Culture)
- Monday 6th July – The future of longevity, innovation and health
- Tuesday, July 7th – America’s Future (Education)
- Wednesday, July 8th – Family Life and Community Support
- Thursday, July 9th – Engines of the Enterprise (Industry)
- Friday 10th July – The Next 250 (Innovation)
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributors: Carissa Wadick, Edward Segarra / USA TODAY
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X or email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social &. @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
