A number of artists withdraw from the event celebrating the founding of the United States.
Freedom 250 Presents: The Great American State Fair is a free, 16-day festival scheduled to take place at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from June 25 to July 10.
According to American media, this event, linked to President Donald Trump, is described as a patriotic celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States (1776-2026), featuring concerts and activities honoring the military.
However, many artists unexpectedly announced their withdrawal from the concert series. They claimed to have been deceived and no longer agreed with the event's values.
On May 28, Martina McBride announced she would no longer be participating in Freedom 250, calling the event "misleading." McBride was scheduled to perform on June 25, the opening night of the festival.
The country music legend said he was initially invited to lend his voice to a nonpartisan event, meant to honor all 50 states of the United States, but that didn't actually happen.
Rocker Bret Michaels also made a similar announcement on the same day. Like McBride, the Poison frontman explained that he accepted the invitation to perform because he thought the event was meant to honor the founding of the nation, as well as to pay tribute to veterans, active-duty military personnel, emergency responders, teachers, and hard-working Americans of all walks of life.
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a national celebration has developed into a far more divisive event than I agreed to participate in. There have also been concerns about the safety of fans, the band, the crew, my family, and myself. I have received completely unfounded and unacceptable threats. Therefore, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from this performance,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, rapper Young MC announced his withdrawal because he was not informed in advance that the event was backed by Mr. Trump. According to the artist, the organizers claimed it was a non-partisan event, but the press revealed it was linked to the head of the White House. He expressed hope to return to Washington, D.C. soon to perform at an "event that is not heavily political ."
Although they didn't give a specific reason, Morris Day of the band Morris Day and The Time confirmed on May 28th that they would not be participating in the Freedom 250 lineup.
The Commodores also issued a brief statement: "The Commodores will not be performing at the Great American State Fair. Music has always been our voice, and we choose not to publicly associate ourselves with any political party. We advocate for what is better for all Americans."
In addition, many artists maintained their schedules at Freedom 250 despite the controversy.
Fab Morvan, lead singer of the band Milli Vanilli, confirmed plans to perform and expressed support for the event's patriotic message.
"I'm here to entertain and bring people together, not to divide them. Let's celebrate life and music together, and relive the beautiful memories of the past," Morvan said.
What caused a stir among viewers was the inconsistency in statements from within Milli Vanilli. Jodie Rocco told AP that she and the other members had never been invited to participate in the show.
Although C+C Music Factory was still scheduled to perform, lead singer Freedom Williams spoke out to clarify her relationship with Mr. Trump.
He said he intended to withdraw from the show after learning that the American leader was behind it, but ultimately participated to prove his angry fans who were threatening to "boycott" him wrong.
Despite mixed reactions from fans, Vanilla Ice continues to support the event. The rapper's representative told AP that he is proud to contribute to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Flo Rida has not changed his mind about performing at the Great American State Fair on July 2nd, but has not commented on the matter. This has drawn considerable criticism on social media.
Trump's reaction
Following the wave of artists withdrawing from Freedom 250, President Donald Trump issued a statement on the Truth Social platform on May 30.
“I understand that artists are getting ‘nervous’ about the show. So I’m considering bringing to the show the world’s most charismatic figure, someone who can draw in a larger audience than Elvis at his peak and do it without a guitar. Someone who loves our country more than anyone else, someone some people hail as the greatest president in history. That’s Donald Trump, to replace these high-paid, third-rate ‘artists,’ and give a big speech to move the country forward, as I’ve done since becoming president! Two years ago, America was dead. Now we’re the hottest country in the world. I don’t want self-proclaimed ‘artists’ who are paid too much but are unhappy. I just want to be surrounded by people who are happy, smart, successful, and know how to win,” Trump declared.
In addition, Trump also asked his subordinates to consider the feasibility of holding an America Is Back rally. He described it as a passionate and spectacular celebration of America, inviting only the greatest patriots.
On May 31st, Trump posted another message related to the controversy. This time, he called for the cancellation of Freedom 250, replacing it with a massive rally called "Make America Great Again" to mark a momentous occasion for the nation.
He objected to inviting "expensive singers nobody wants to listen to, who make boring music and only know how to complain."
Source: https://tienphong.vn/ong-trump-chi-trich-loat-nghe-si-post1847791.tpo
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