At least seven of the nine featured musical acts have dropped out of a highly anticipated concert series. The event was organized by the Trump administration to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States. The performers officially withdrew within 48 hours of the lineup announcement.
Bret Michaels became the latest major name to withdraw from the upcoming celebration on Friday. The rock star cited a deteriorating atmosphere around the event and alleged security threats. He expressed his disappointment in a public statement posted on social media.
Bret Michaels is the fifth artist to pull out of the Trump-backed "Freedom 250" concerts in D.C.
“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…
— Variety (@Variety) May 29, 2026
"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," the Poison frontman said. He explicitly added that his final decision was not about politics.
"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," he added.
Several other famous artists have also backed out of the patriotic event. Morris Day, Young MC, the Commodores, C+C Music Factory, Martina McBride, and Milli Vanilli withdrew this week. Some of the acts even expressed surprise that they had been booked for the series.
Just two days after organizers announced the musical lineup for the Freedom 250 festival in D.C. this summer, nearly all of the listed acts have publicly backed out or disputed their involvement.
As of Friday, Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice are set to still perform.… pic.twitter.com/cQh6IalfjE
— 7News DC (@7NewsDC) May 29, 2026