Trump to Headline Freedom 250 Fair Opening After Artists Bail Out

President Donald Trump reportedly will headline the opening ceremony of the Great American State Fair after artists for the planned concerts withdrew from the events, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing the event organizers. The fair, organized by the Freedom 250 group, is a 16-day event running from June 25 to July 10, 2026, which would stretch on the National Mall from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument, with concert stages, state pavilions, exhibits, rides, and other attractions. But the musical lineup has been hit by a series of cancellations. On Friday, Bret Michaels, the lead singer of the rock band Poison, became the fifth performer to withdraw from the concerts, saying that the event was not the non-partisan celebration that he thought it would be. Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership created by the White House to coordinate celebrations of the United States' 250th anniversary alongside federal agencies. Trump on Saturday portrayed himself as a more powerful draw than any musical act and floated the idea of himself giving a speech instead of concerts to kick off the event. The fact is that I am, according to many, the number one attraction anywhere in the world, as Trump wrote in a social media post. The president also said he is ordering my representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an America is Back rally. It remains unclear whether replacement musicians will be recruited or whether Trump's proposal to substitute a rally for the performances is being seriously considered by organizers.