Trump's Answer to the Walkouts: Trump

The mass exodus has become a full-scale implosion. On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he's considering replacing the departed artists with "the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World" — himself. He called the missing musicians "highly paid, Third Rate Artists" who got "the yips" and directed his staff to explore turning the June 25 slot into an "AMERICA IS BACK" rally at the same National Mall location, according to the NY Post.

The Numbers Are Damning

According to Newsweek, only two of the performers listed on Freedom 250's original promotional poster are still understood to be participating.

The confirmed departures, per CNN and ms.now: Bret Michaels (Poison), Martina McBride, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, Young MC, and Jodie Rocco performing as Milli Vanilli. Vanilla Ice and a handful of others are reportedly still in.

Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner told Newsweek the organization is "focused on our signature celebrations and events that honor our history and engage all Americans."

The "Nonpartisan" Lie

Multiple artists say they were actively misled about the event's nature.

Martina McBride said on X that she initially believed the Great American State Fair was a nonpartisan event. "I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years," she wrote, per ms.now. "Yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening."

Young MC was blunter. "The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event," he said, according to ms.now.

Milli Vanilli's Jodie Rocco told the Associated Press they "were shocked to see our name as one of the performers" — meaning they may not have agreed to perform at all before being listed on the poster.

CNN noted that many of the acts share the same booking agent — Jeff Epstein of Universal Attractions — who did NOT respond to repeated requests for comment.

Freedom 250 Is NOT America250

The Hill reported that Trump took "extraordinary steps" to incorporate his brand and likeness into the semiquincentennial celebrations, effectively creating a parallel universe to the nonpartisan United States Semiquincentennial Commission, known as America250. Freedom 250 was created by executive order specifically as a Trump-driven alternative.

Ordinary Americans — and apparently the artists themselves — couldn't tell the difference between a legitimate 250th anniversary celebration and a White House political operation.

The Counter-Event

Ms.now briefly noted that a competing event headlined by Bruce Springsteen is being organized by vocal Trump critics. The 250th anniversary of the United States is now being celebrated by two competing camps on opposite ends of the political spectrum, each claiming to represent America.

Maher Piles On, Poll Numbers Don't Help

The Hill reported that Bill Maher mocked Trump on Friday over both his sagging poll numbers and the Freedom 250 blowback. A president who is supposed to be uniting the country around a historic milestone is instead watching artists flee his concert while his approval rating slides.

UFC Is Still Showing Up

The Hill also reported that the UFC is bringing a prime-time fight to the White House as part of America 250 celebrations. Dana White's UFC has no problem putting its name on a Trump-adjacent event. Combat sports remain on the lineup while pop musicians have departed.

What Mainstream Coverage Gets Wrong

Left-leaning outlets like CNN frame this as artists bravely resisting a political takeover. Right-leaning outlets mostly ignore the legitimate complaint from artists that they were misled. Both miss the central issue: a federally-backed nonprofit apparently listed performers on promotional materials without their full informed consent, and the booking agent at the center of it is stonewalling the press.

What This Means

Freedom 250 is a government-created nonprofit funded to mark a once-in-a-lifetime national milestone. If it turns into a Trump rally with Vanilla Ice as the opening act, the 250th anniversary of the United States will be remembered as a political stunt instead of a national celebration. Taxpayers and citizens of every political stripe deserve better than what's happening so far.