President Set to Launch Historic National Event as Concert Lineup Faces Multiple Performer Withdrawals
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump will headline a major event commemorating the United States’ 250th anniversary on the National Mall next month, organizers announced on Saturday, following a series of cancellations by musical performers originally scheduled to take part in the celebration.
The concerts were intended to serve as the opening ceremony for the Great American State Fair, a 16-day event scheduled to run from June 25 through July 10. Organizers said the fair, coordinated by the Freedom 250 group, will span the National Mall from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument and feature concert stages, state pavilions, exhibits, rides, and other attractions.
The musical program, however, has been affected by several high-profile withdrawals. On Friday, Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, became the fifth performer to cancel his appearance, stating that the event was not the nonpartisan celebration he had believed it would be.
In response, Trump is now expected to “personally kick off this historic celebration,” according to a social media post by Freedom 250.
Organizers have not publicly provided detailed explanations for the departures.
The group did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump suggested in a Truth Social post that the concert series may no longer be necessary if additional performers decide to withdraw. He raised the possibility of delivering a speech on the National Mall instead.
“The fact is that I am, according to many, the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote. He added that he draws “much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime” and “does so without a guitar.”
The president also said he is “ordering my Representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally.”
Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership established by the White House to coordinate celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States in collaboration with federal agencies.
