EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump's 'MAGA Glastonbury' Dealt Huge Blow as String of Massive Acts Pull Out of Right-Wing Festival — 'His Fanbase is in Freefall'
Donald Trump's flagship Freedom 250 music festival has been thrown into turmoil
May 29 2026, Published 11:29 a.m. ET
Donald Trump's flagship Freedom 250 music festival has been thrown into turmoil after a growing number of artists pulled out of the event, dealing a significant blow to the Great American State Fair – a patriotic celebration critics have branded a "MAGA Glastonbury."
RadarOnline.com can reveal the concerts, scheduled to take place on Washington DC's National Mall between June 25 and July 10 as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations, were announced by Freedom 250 on May 28.
Bret Michaels Pulls Out Of Freedom 250
Bret Michaels became the latest artist to withdraw out of Donald Trump's flagship festival.
The initiative was established by Trump, 79, as a public-private partnership to commemorate the nation's semiquincentennial.
But within days of the line-up being unveiled, several performers distanced themselves from the festival amid mounting controversy surrounding its political associations.
Bret Michaels, 63, the Poison frontman, is the latest artist to withdraw.
He said: "When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life."
In a statement posted to social media, Michaels added the event had become far more divisive than he had anticipated.
He said: "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. Concerns have also been raised regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance."
Michaels also said his decision was not motivated by party politics.
He went on: "This isn't about politics. It's about staying true to what I've always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That's one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I've always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously."
Morris Day And McBride Reject Lineup
Martina McBride and Young MC also announced they would not take part.
His departure follows announcements from Morris Day, Martina McBride, Young MC and members of The Commodores they would no longer take part.
Day publicly rejected his inclusion in promotional material shortly after the lineup was revealed.
Posting on Instagram, he wrote: "Contrary to rumor, Morris Day & The Time will not be performing at the 'Great American State Fair'."
He added: "It's A No For Me."
Fans welcomed the clarification, with many expressing relief online after initially believing the performer had agreed to appear at the event.
The original lineup included Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice, C+C Music Factory, Milli Vanilli's Fab Morvan, Bret Michaels and The Commodores.
Of the nine headline acts initially promoted, only a handful have publicly maintained plans to perform.
Freedom Williams of C+C Music Factory, has reportedly indicated he remains undecided about appearing, while Flo Rida has yet to comment publicly on the controversy.
Critics Slam Trump-Backed Event Bias
Rapper Morris Day publicly rejected his inclusion in the lineup.
Freedom 250 has described the Great American State Fair as a nonpartisan celebration of the United States' 250th birthday.
However, critics have accused the initiative of becoming closely associated with Trump's political movement, prompting backlash from performers and fans alike as the event approaches.
A source close to the festival told us: "The speed at which artists have distanced themselves from this event has stunned organizers. They thought they were launching a huge patriotic celebration, but instead, they've been left scrambling to explain why so many acts want nothing to do with it.
"For performers, the issue is that the festival has become far too politically divisive. Many artists don't want to be seen as endorsing a movement that splits opinion so dramatically, especially when their fanbases come from all walks of life.
"Every new withdrawal creates more uncertainty for the acts still attached to the lineup. Nobody wants to be the last person standing at a festival that's attracting headlines for all the wrong reasons.
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The music events are scheduled to take place on the National Mall.
"There is a growing perception that this is another sign of cracks appearing in Trump's cultural influence.
"The MAGA movement once attracted celebrities eager to associate themselves with it, but now many artists appear worried about the backlash that comes with being linked to it.
"It's irritating his MAGA supporters, who are blaming Trump for alienating too many people now – and that's another is another sign Trump's original fanbase is also in freefall.
"The optics are terrible. What was supposed to be a showcase of support has instead become a story about who is leaving next. That's not the message organizers wanted to send."
