The White House’s troubled bid for a star-studded musical celebration of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence took yet one more hit Friday after three extra acts pulled out, citing political tensions.
President Donald Trump’s administration had publicized a number of headliners for a live performance sequence between June 25 and July 10 on the National Mall in Washington.
However, the occasion is floundering as one act after one other withdraws.
On Friday, glam rocker Bret Michaels and nation star Martina McBride joined the Commodores and two different teams saying they might not participate. This left solely 4 of the line-up initially introduced on Wednesday intact.
Those embrace Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Flo Rida, and the surviving member of the duo Milli Vanilli, who have not had a brand new hit in additional than a decade.
Michaels, frontman of Nineteen Eighties band Poison — of “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” fame — mentioned Friday on Facebook that he made a “difficult decision to step away from this performance.”
“My shows have never been about politics. They’re about giving people a place to come together, have a great time and forget about life’s stresses for a few hours,” he mentioned.
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of.”
“Freedom 250” celebration organizers say they’re nonpartisan, however Trump has overtly tried to stamp his mark on this summer time’s anniversary — most notably by staging an ultra-violent blended marital arts combat in a specifically constructed enviornment on the White House garden on June 14 — his eightieth birthday.
Award-winning nation singer McBride introduced she too won’t be performing on the “Great American State Fair” subsequent month.
“I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,” she informed her followers in a submit on X.
They be part of a number of different acts abandoning this system or dismissing rumors they might carry out: rapper Young MC, greatest identified for 1989’s smash hit “Bust a Move;” Musician Morris Day and the Time, who as soon as collaborated with Prince; and Grammy-winning soul group Commodores.
“The Commodores will not be performing” on the occasion, the band posted late Thursday on Instagram. “We support the betterment of all Americans.”
With artists fleeing, the Democratic Party on Friday trolled Trump’s occasion, posting a picture of the 9 introduced performers, with Xs over the 5 cancelled acts.
By distinction, on Wednesday evening the nation’s capital hosted singer Bruce Springsteen, a fierce Trump opponent, who introduced he would return to the Washington space on October 3 for the Power to the People Festival.
That present will embrace Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, and different top-billing acts.
© 2026 AFP