US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he is weighing the possibility of scrapping a planned series of concerts marking the 250th anniversary of the US after several performers withdrew, opting to hold a rally instead.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was considering holding a rally and delivering a speech, describing himself as "the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime and he does so without a guitar."
“I am ordering my Representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally on Wednesday, Washington, D.C., same time, same location. Only Great Patriots invited — It will be a Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America,” Trump said.
About two-thirds of the announced performers for the Freedom 250 concert series have withdrawn, with many citing concerns about being associated with an event promoted as nonpartisan but criticized as a MAGA celebration.
Trump has framed the nation’s 250th birthday events as a major patriotic celebration, but the departures highlighted artists’ concerns about alienating fans in a politically divided climate, according to Axios.
Since the lineup was announced Wednesday, six acts have pulled out: Morris Day, Young MC, Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Milli Vanilli, and The Commodores.
Trump said: “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.”
