Trump’s Freedom 250 concert in chaos as stars pull out

Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 concert has been hit by confusion and backlash after several announced performers pulled out of the event, with some claiming they were misled about its political connection.

The concert, planned as part of celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, was announced this week with a lineup that included Morris Day and The Time, Vanilla Ice, Martina McBride, Flo Rida, Milli Vanilli, The Commodores, Bret Michaels and Young MC.

But shortly after the lineup was made public, some of the artists began distancing themselves from the show, insisting they would not be performing.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and is linked to the broader Freedom 250 celebration.

Morris Day was among the first to reject the announcement, posting on Instagram that he and The Time would not be performing.

“Contrary to rumor, Morris Day & The Time will not be performing at the Great American State Fair,” he wrote, adding: “It’s a no for me.”

The Commodores also announced that they would not take part in the concert, saying their music had always been their voice and that they did not want to publicly affiliate with any single political party.

Country singer Martina McBride also withdrew from the event, saying she had been presented with what she believed was a nonpartisan celebration of all 50 states.

According to her, the information later changed and no longer matched what she had been told.

“I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,” McBride said.

Young MC also pulled out, saying he had instructed his agents that he would not perform at Freedom 250.

The rapper claimed artists were not told about political involvement in the event, adding that he only later became aware of reports describing it as Trump-backed.

He described the situation as a “bait-and-switch,” saying he thought it was supposed to be a regular show in Washington, DC.

The Milli Vanilli name also sparked confusion after a group calling itself The Real Milli Vanilli distanced itself from the event, saying others using the name should be considered a tribute act with no connection to their sound or songs.

However, not every act has withdrawn.

Vanilla Ice’s management confirmed that he remains scheduled to perform, saying he is proud to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and that everyone is welcome to attend.

The controversy also exposed internal tension around C + C Music Factory after Freedom Williams said he still planned to perform, while co-founder Robert Clivillés distanced the group from any political affiliation.

Freedom 250 is being organised by Trump appointee Keith Krach and is described as an official public-private partnership for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Trump had earlier signed an executive order creating the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday, naming himself chair and Vice President J.D. Vance as vice chair.