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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy artists are dropping out of the Great American State Fair<\/p>\n
Musicians cancel appearances at the Great American State Fair after questions over Freedom 250 and claims the July Fourth event is nonpartisan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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President Donald Trump<\/a> has revealed the lineup for a rally celebrating the\u00a0nation’s 250th anniversary<\/a> days after a slew of musicians pulled out<\/a> of performing at a Freedom 250 multi-day concert event.<\/p>\n In a June 4 social media post<\/a>, Trump announced country singer Lee Greenwood will sing his 1984 hit “God Bless The U.S.A” at the June 24 rally before introducing the headlining act: the president himself.<\/a><\/p>\n “We don’t want singers with no talent, but big fees to put you to sleep, we\u2019ve told them all to stay home. All we want is you, me, a few speakers, and the Greatest Music ever played, the same Music you have listened to for years!” Trump wrote.<\/p>\n Freedom 250<\/a>, the quasi-government group Trump formed to mark America’s 250th birthday, was originally planning a\u00a016-day concert series as part of an event coined the “Great America State Fair.”<\/a> But last week, a slew of musicians backed out<\/a> of performing, with several citing the event’s perceived political affiliation and confusion around what they signed up for.<\/p>\n As a result, Trump decided to nix the performances and instead give a speech himself, a White House official previously confirmed. The rally is scheduled for June 24.<\/p>\n Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, also confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY that Trump will be kicking off the Great American State Fair at the June 24 event.<\/p>\n Here’s what to know, including the rally lineup.<\/p>\n Although the president is positioning the June 24 event as a rally rather than a concert, several musical acts are part of the lineup, according to Trump’s Truth Social post.<\/p>\n In addition to Greenwood, opera singer Christopher Macchio will perform before Trump’s headlining speech.<\/p>\n The U.S. Army Band, Armed Forces Choir, U.S. Marine Band and Joint Armed Forces Chorus will perform as well, Trump said.<\/p>\n Greenwood called the opportunity “a tremendous honor” in a statement<\/a>. The 83-year-old has been a longtime Trump ally, having performed at his past campaign rallies and even selling a bible<\/a> alongside the president in 2021. Similarly, Macchio performed at Trump’s inauguration<\/a> in 2025.<\/p>\n The original 16-day concert series was tied to Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair<\/a>. While the concerts are now replaced with Trump’s headlining speech, the rest of the fair is still happening as scheduled, according to Freedom 250’s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n The event will feature pavilions representing 56 states and territories, specialty exhibits and classic fair attractions. The fair will be held daily from June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall, according to Freedom 250’s website.<\/p>\n As for the now-canceled performances, a lineup of performers was initially revealed on May 27<\/a>. But within hours, a slew of acts\u00a0dropped out\u00a0of the event.<\/p>\n Country musician Martina McBride wrote on X that she was misled into believing that she would be performing at a “non-partisan event.”<\/p>\n “I\u2019ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn\u2019t have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I\u2019m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you, that is not the case,” she wrote.<\/p>\n Bret Michaels\u00a0attributed his exit to the “divisive” nature of the event.<\/p>\n “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,” he wrote in a lengthy\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0post.<\/p>\n In response, Trump announced on May 30 that he was replacing the shows with a rally headlined by the president himself.<\/p>\n Contributing: Saman Shafiq, Mike Snider<\/em><\/p>\n Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh<\/a> and Instagram @bymelinakhan<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\nLee Greenwood to perform at Freedom 250 rally, with Trump as headliner<\/h2>\n
What happened to Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair?<\/h2>\n