President Donald Trump announced Saturday he would bring the “Number One Attraction anywhere in the World” to the Freedom 250 concert series, after several notable musicians backed out of performances: Himself.
In a Truth Social post, the president criticized artists, who he said were getting “the yips” about performing at the Great American State Fair, an event celebrating America’s 250th anniversary organized by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership established by Trump.
“I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate “Artists,” and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!” Trump wrote Saturday.
This past week, at least five of the nine musical acts set to play the Freedom 250 concert series, between June 25 and July 10, said they would drop out, claiming they did not want to be part of political discourse or that they were misled about the nonpartisan nature of the event. That includes Bret Michaels, Young MC, the Commodores, Morris Day and the Time, and Martina McBride.
The president said he didn’t want “so-called ‘Artists’ that get paid far too much money, who aren’t happy” to perform at the event, adding: “I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN.
“So, by copy of this TRUTH, I am ordering my Representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally,” Trump wrote.
“Only Great Patriots invited — It will be a Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America!” He added, invoking language he used when he encouraged supporters to rally at the Capitol to protest the certification of the 2020 election.
Trump said his speech would take place in Washington, D.C., at the same time and in the same location.
The president later lashed out at the artists who pulled out of the concert series in another Truth Social tirade Saturday night.
“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,” he said. “Cancel it, just like I canceled my involvement with the failing and unsafe to be in Kennedy Center.”
Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, confirmed on X Saturday afternoon Trump would “kick off” the celebration Wednesday, June 24, in the form of an opening ceremony.
“As the visionary behind the Great American State Fair, we are excited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebration on Wednesday, June 24 in an opening ceremony celebrating America’s 250th birthday,” Alvarez said.
Artists began pulling out of performances after Freedom 250 announced the guest speakers and musical acts for the Great American State Fair taking place on the National Mall.
Michaels said he would not perform after the event became “something much more divisive than what I agreed to be part of.” He cited safety concerns. Young MC said he was “never told about any political involvement with the event.” McBride said she believed the concert was a “nonpartisan event” but “that turned out to be misleading.”
There has been some confusion about the nonpartisan nature of some of the events taking place to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Two organizations have led the effort to organize celebrations. America250, a nonprofit created to support a nonpartisan congressional commission, and Freedom 250, an organization established by the Trump administration.
However, Freedom 250 labels itself as a nonpartisan nonprofit. In a statement to NBC Friday, Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner said the group is “singularly focused on celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and bringing Americans together around this historic milestone.”
The Freedom 250 concert series is just one of several ideas the president and his team have pushed to celebrate the country’s semiquincentennial.
Trump has also suggested enacting a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C., to mark the occasion, distributing a 250-dollar bill with his face on it, releasing limited-edition passports with his face, holding a youth athletic competition called the Patriot Games, hosting a UFC cage fight on the White House lawn and more.
After lamenting about the musicians who pulled out of the concert series on Truth Social, the president posted photos, graphics and more complaints about his political opponents.
Several posts featured illustrations of children and families celebrating America with the caption “America Is Back!” Trump also posted AI-generated photos, including one of him and former NFL player Tom Brady as well as one of him dunking a basketball on New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
