View of the National Mall at sunset on October 4, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Mehmet Ethel | AFP | Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he is considering canceling a series of concerts commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary scheduled for the National Mall in Washington and replacing them with speeches and political rallies after a series of artists withdrew from the event.
The concert was planned as part of the larger Great American State Fair, which will be held for 16 days from June 25 to July 10, 2026. The fair, organized by the Freedom 250 Group, will stretch along the National Mall from the Capitol to the Washington Monument, with a concert stage, state pavilions, exhibits, rides and other attractions spread throughout the mall, organizers said.
However, the music lineup has been hit by a series of cancellations. On Friday, Bret Michaels, lead singer of the rock band Poison, became the fifth performer to withdraw from the concert, saying the event was not the bipartisan celebration he had envisioned.
Organizers have not disclosed the reason for the withdrawal, but the withdrawal raises questions about the viability of the event as originally planned.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, President Trump suggested that the concert series may no longer be necessary if performers continue to decline to perform. He floated the possibility of giving a speech on the National Mall instead, describing himself as having more appeal than any other musical act.
“The fact is, according to many, I am the number one tourist attraction anywhere in the world,” Trump wrote. He added that he “draws a much larger audience than Elvis in his heyday” and “does it without a guitar.”
“I am directing my representatives to consider the feasibility of an America Is Back rally,” the president said.
Freedom 250 is a public-private partnership created by the White House to work with federal agencies to coordinate celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary.
It remains unclear whether replacement musicians will be recruited or whether President Trump’s proposal to hold rallies in place of performances is being seriously considered by organizers.
