Donald Trump has issued a message to the performers who’ve withdrawn from the Freedom 250 concert, while also laying out an unusual contingency plan if more artists decide to bow out.
The concert is part of a 16-day series of events planned for the National Mall in Washington D.C., intended to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Organisers had billed the show as “an evening of 90s nostalgia, iconic hits, and live performances from some of the era’s most recognizable names”.
But several scheduled acts — including Young MC, Morris Day, the Commodores and Martina McBride — have since pulled out. Those who exited have suggested they were misled about the concert’s political links.
Even with the lineup changes, Trump has insisted the Freedom 250 concert will still deliver what he called the “Number One Attraction anywhere in the World”, and he also described what he’d do if additional musicians drop out.
His fallback, he said, would be to take the stage himself — not for a set of songs, but by stepping in with remarks of his own.
The president penned in a Truth Social post: “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 larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, 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 like I have done ever since being President!”
Trump continued: “Two years ago, the United States was DEAD. Now we have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. 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.
“So, by copy of this TRUTH, 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!”
Not everyone has walked away from the show, however. Vanilla Ice remains on the bill and, speaking to TMZ, said he’s willing to perform regardless of who is hosting — even mentioning world leaders as examples.
The American rapper said: “If Biden called up and said, ‘My daughter’s getting married, we need Vanilla Ice,’ I’d go play.
“It’s not a big thing. You play for your fans. We don’t get a chance to pick our fans, they pick us. I’ll go play for Putin and I’ll play in Iran if you want. It don’t matter. There’s fans everywhere. Music is not political, man. It’s universal.”