Two days ago, the Trump-affiliated nonprofit Freedom 250 announced the lineup for a celebratory semiquicentennial concert series on the National Mall, branded “The Great American State Fair.” Its headliners included Vanilla Ice, the Commodores, Bret Michaels of Poison, Flo Rida, Martina McBride, Milli Vanilli, and the C+C Music Factory—a handful of recognizable acts, albeit ones that had their respective heydays several decades ago. But almost as soon as the names were released—and their headshots displayed on a seemingly AI generated backdrop—musicians started dropping out, saying they hadn’t signed up for a partisan event.
First to leave was Young MC, a.k.a. Grammy winner Marvin Young. The “Bust a Move” rapper said that after he learned, belatedly, that the event was “Trump-backed,” he turned down the gig. Then funk singer (and Purple Rain villain) Morris Day chimed in: “It’s a no for me.” By Friday, Michaels and McBride both announced that they were out too.
McBride, a 1990s country-pop singer, explained herself on Instagram. “I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special,” she wrote. “Sounds fun, right? Wholesome even. Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”
Apparently, these artists were surprised to discover that the group hosting the event, Freedom 250, is a private nonprofit associated with the Trump administration. President Donald Trump announced its formation in a video in December 2025; Mother Jones alleges that it was founded so that Fourth of July celebrations on public lands could go forward without congressional oversight of the group’s spending. (Vanity Fair has reached out to Freedom 250 for comment. Freedom 250 is not to be confused with America250, a separate organization which was approved by Congress.) Earlier this month, Freedom 250 hosted a controversial Christian worship event called “Rededicate 250” on the National Mall, where pastors and religious influencers asked the American populace to turn back to God.
This spate of dropouts isn’t the first time a Trump-affiliated concert in DC has floundered. Back in 2017, he struggled to attract performers for his first inauguration. At the eleventh hour, country star Toby Keith, rock band 3 Doors Down, and perennial patriot Lee Greenwood all ultimately signed on. His 2025 inauguration was a slightly different story: Carrie Underwood, Jewel, and rappers including Nelly and Snoop Dogg all performed at events that year. Jewel, however, apologized for her performance after the inauguration.
As Trump’s approval ratings continue to spiral, it makes sense that artists may be wary of associating their brands with his cooptation of the semiquincentennial. Over the last year, a range of artists canceled planned appearances at the Kennedy Center as Trump took over its board and added his name to the building’s facade.
