NewsWorldUS News'Cancel it', Trump says after artists drop out of US Freedom 250 festival Donald Trump has said musical performances celebrating the country's 250th birthday should be called off after several artists dropped out, citing the event's affiliation with the White House.
3 min readJun 1, 2026 05:26 AM IST
First published on: Jun 1, 2026 at 05:26 AM IST
President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at the White House. (Photo: AP)
US President Donald Trump has called for a series of concerts marking America’s 250th anniversary to be scrapped after several performers withdrew.
“Cancel it,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, describing the remaining line-up as “overpriced” and “boring”.Several artists, including Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC and Bret Michaels, have pulled out of the Freedom 250 festival. Some cited concerns over the event’s links to the White House.
Martina McBride performs. (Photo: AP)
Young MC said on social media that performers were not informed about any “political involvement with the event”. McBride also said she had been told the event would be non-partisan, but that this “turned out to be misleading”.
Some performers remain committed
Despite the withdrawals, a few acts are still scheduled to perform. Vanilla Ice and Milli Vanilli are set to appear on 26 June, while Flo Rida remains on the line-up for 2 July.Story continues below this ad
Vanilla Ice said in a post: “This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America’s birthday.”
Vanilla Ice Shrugs Off Freedom 250 Drama, Says He'd Play for Biden or Pu… https://t.co/fbn6aPfflk via @YouTube— Vanilla Ice (@vanillaice) May 29, 2026
Fab Morvan, one half of Milli Vanilli’s public duo, also confirmed he would perform.
Trump suggests rally instead
In his posts, Trump said he was considering replacing the concert series with a political rally.
“I am ordering my representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally… same time, same location,” he wrote, adding that only “great patriots” would be invited.
He later said the fair should be replaced altogether with a “giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY”.Story continues below this ad
Trump also wrote that he is the “Number One Attraction anywhere in the World” and claimed he draws larger crowds than Elvis Presley did in his prime.
Event tied to anniversary celebrations
Freedom 250 is part of a wider set of events marking 250 years of American independence. The initiative was launched under Trump’s administration, though organisers have said it is non-partisan.
Singer Bret Michaels performs at halftime of an NFL football game between the Detroit Lions and the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz. (Photo: AP)
The White House has partnered with the group on the celebrations, which include a state fair on the National Mall in Washington DC from late June to early July.
Separately, a bipartisan body, America250, is also organising official anniversary events, including Independence Day celebrations in cities such as New York and Philadelphia.Story continues below this ad
The BBC reported that Trump is also expected to headline the opening ceremony of the Freedom 250 fair.
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