Former US President Donald Trump is now set to headline “The Great American State Fair,” the upcoming celebration marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, after several musical acts pulled out over the event’s ties to him.
The fair, scheduled for late June on Washington’s National Mall, has been promoted as a nonpartisan tribute to America’s founding. But its origins launched last year by Trump and led by a former State Department appointee from his administration have prompted controversy. Artists including Bret Michaels, the Commodores, and Martina McBride withdrew from the lineup last week, citing concerns about the event’s political associations.
Trump responded on his Truth Social platform, mocking the departing performers and hinting he might step in himself. “Artists are getting ‘the yips’… I was thinking of bringing the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote.
Organizers at Freedom 250 confirmed on Saturday that Trump will “personally kick off this historic celebration” on Wednesday, June 24, though Trump’s own posts referenced only “Wednesday” without specifying a date. The White House has not clarified the discrepancy.
Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez emphasized that the broader fair running from June 25 to July 10 will feature exhibits, family attractions, flyovers and additional performances. But Trump continued to dismiss the artists who backed out, suggesting the solution was simply to “Cancel it” and replace the entertainment with a massive Make America Great Again rally.
The reshuffling underscores the political tensions surrounding what was intended to be a unifying national celebration and highlights how deeply intertwined the event has become with Trump’s public persona.
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