Martina McBride and Morris Day among wave of Trump-related Freedom 250 concert cancellations

“The Great American State Fair” is a series of concerts, exhibits, tributes and other programs scheduled for June 25 through July 10 on the National Mall in Washington. It was organized by Freedom 250, which is billed as a nonpartisan organization but was launched last year by President Donald Trump and is led by an appointee of Trump’s State Department from his first term, businessman and philanthropist Keith Krach.

On Wednesday, Freedom 250 announced that Bret Michaels, the Commodores and Martina McBride would be among the musical acts, some of whom were scheduled for an “I Love the ’90s” show on June 26.

But by Thursday night, Michaels, the Commodores and McBride had dropped out, as had Morris Day and Young MC.

Why are artists canceling their appearances?

Michaels and others said they were misled about the theme of the shows or feared being drawn into a political fight. In an Instagram post, Michaels wrote that he thought his show would be a chance to “honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers, and hard-working Americans from all walks of life.” But he concluded that the event had “evolved into something much more confrontational” and cited “totally unfounded and unforgivable threats.”

McBride also released a statement on Instagram, saying she was given “the opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event, but it turned out to be misleading.” Young MC expressed similar sentiments in an Instagram post, while the Commodores released a brief statement saying they had chosen “not to publicly affiliate with any single political party.”

Who’s still on the Freedom 250 concert bill?

Expected performers Friday morning included Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli, the Grammy-winning duo of the late 1980s and early 1990s that was discredited after reports that Morvan and fellow performer Rob Pilatus failed to sing on the records and lip-sync on stage. (The real singers, including sisters Jodie and Linda Rocco, told The Associated Press they were not invited).

Morvan told the AP in an emailed statement that he was “here to entertain and unite people, not to divide them.”

“Let’s celebrate life and music and take a trip down memory lane,” he said.

A representative for Vanilla Ice told the AP in an email that the “Ice Ice Baby” rapper was “proud to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday!”

“Everyone is invited to attend and celebrate America’s birthday and our freedom!” said the representative.

A representative for Flo Rida did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What Freedom 250 organizers said

Freedom 250 organizers have not yet responded to AP requests for comment. Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner told The New York Times in a statement that “Freedom 250 focuses on our signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans.”

How have artists generally responded to the Trump administration?

Trump, a Republican, has prominent supporters in the entertainment industry, including Sylvester Stallone and Nicki Minaj, but many others have shunned him. Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro, Billie Eilish and Bruce Springsteen are among those who have supported Democrats and/or condemned Trump, while Elton John, Kenny Loggins and others have objected to their music being used for Trump rallies or videos. After the president ousted the Kennedy Center last year and had his own name emblazoned on the building’s facade, many artists, including Bela Fleck, Renée Fleming and Issa Rae, canceled their planned appearances.

Copyright © 2026 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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