Trump mulls dropping Freedom 250 Washington DC concerts
US President Donald Trump said he was considering canceling a series of concerts planned to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary on the National Mall in Washington DC and instead holding a speech and political-style rally after a number of artists withdrew from the event.
The concerts are planned as part of the larger Great American State Fair, a 16-day event that will run from June 25 to July 10, 2026.
The fair, organized by the group Freedom 250, will stretch from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument on the National Mall, with concert stages, state pavilions, exhibits, rides and other attractions spread throughout the Mall, organizers said.
However, the musical’s lineup has been hit by a series of cancellations.
On Friday, rock band Poison frontman Bret Michaels became the fifth artist to withdraw from concerts, saying the event was not the non-partisan celebration he thought it was.
Organizers have not publicly disclosed the reasons for the departures, but the exits have raised questions about the viability of the event as originally envisioned.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said, “I understand that artists received ‘ips’ regarding their performances on Wednesday,” and suggested that the concert series may no longer be necessary if the artists continue to back out.
He instead raised the possibility of giving a speech on the National Mall, portraying himself as a stronger attraction than any musical act.
“The truth is, to many, I am the Number One Attraction anywhere in the world,” Trump wrote.
He added that “Elvis has a much larger audience than he did in his prime” and that he “did it without a guitar.”
“I am directing my representatives to look at the feasibility of holding an AMERICA IS BACK Rally,” the President said.
Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership created by the White House to coordinate the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States with federal agencies.
It is not yet clear whether backup musicians will be hired or whether Trump’s offer to hold rallies in place of demonstrations will be seriously considered by organizers.
