A number of musicians who had agreed to perform at a huge Great American State Fair event in Washington to mark the 250th anniversary of the nation have backed out, mostly apparently because they disagree with President Donald Trump’s politics.
It seems he doesn’t need them anyway.
Instead of the Great American State Fair that was planned, he’s now suggesting the “AMERICA IS BACK” rally where he would speak.
“I understand artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much large audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar,” Trump wrote, oh so modestly, on social media.
“…the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT), Donald J. Trump, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate ‘Artists,’ and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward…”
The State Fair was to run from June 25-July 10 as part of the Freedom 250 events marking the anniversary.
Musicians agreed to participate but then reneged, claiming they learned “details” that made them feel it was “divisive.”
A report at the Washington Examiner said Trump confirmed, “I don’t want so-called ‘Artists’ that get paid far too much money who aren’t happy. I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN.”
On Truth Social, he ordered his representatives to “look at the feasibility” of a rally.
Singer Martina McBride had agreed to participate, but then claimed she was misled.
“I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years. Sounds fun, right? Wholesome even. Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.” She didn’t explain how she was “misled.”
The event is being run by a commission made up of Democrats and Republicans, but opponents have claimed it is “politically charged.”
WorldNetDaily reported when the singers started vanishing.
Scheduled to appear, as announced, were McBride, Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Milli Vanilli, the Commodores, Morris Day, Bret Michaels and more.
But some of those now have dropped out, and a commentary posted at Fox News explained why.
“Trump Derangement Syndrome struck again this week, as somehow something as pure Americana as the nation’s 250th birthday State Fair, planned for the Washington Mall next month, became mired in controversy and liberal grievance.”
Columnist David Marcus wrote that among the dropouts are Morris Day, the Commodores and Martina McBride because, as explained by another dropout, Young MC, “The artists were never told about any political involvement in the event. And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is nonpartisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed.”
Of course, it would be an oddity for a sitting U.S. president not to be supportive of a such an historic national celebration.
Marcus noted, “This is almost admirable in how much ignorance and misinformation is bunched into just a few words. Shockingly, Spin magazine has it wrong: This is not a political or a Trump event. It is run by a bipartisan commission who these artists chose to humiliate.”
He continued, “Liberals, of course, are celebrating as they do every time they try to ruin things for normal Americans just living their lives, and McBride and Vanilli get to be brave heroes in their eyes for a few days.”
Freedom 250 is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to uniting Americans around the nation’s 250th anniversary. 🇺🇸🦅
The Great American State Fair is one of Freedom 250’s signature celebrations, bringing together all 50 states and 6 territories in the Nation’s capital for the… pic.twitter.com/XA4Ru5WL18
— Freedom 250 (@Freedom250) May 29, 2026
Social media commenters pointed out McBride’s “fans” were shredding her for walking out on a commitment, and one said, “Only the left makes things like the Great American State Fair to celegrate America’s 250th divisive and political.”
Of course sarcasm never is far behind the facts in online disputes, with AI playing a role:
BREAKING: The Tongue Splashers of Tyrol have officially backed out of the Great American State Fair. pic.twitter.com/Pt9ifTJ5F4
— Jason Rink (@JasonRink) May 30, 2026
