President Donald Trump criticized the "third rate artists" who exited his Freedom 250 concert series, suggesting he might step in with a speech, claiming, "the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis," referring to himself.
Artists Leave Freedom 250
Trump's comments followed a series of artist withdrawals, including Bret Michaels and The Commodores, who announced their departure from the concert series on Friday. Michaels, the Poison lead singer, stated on his website, "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."
More Artists Exit the Lineup
Additional artists like Young MC, Morris Day, and Martina McBride have also stepped away from the Freedom 250 lineup. The inclusion of Milli Vanilli caused surprise, with member Jodie Rocco expressing her shock to the Associated Press about their name being on the list.
Trump's Reaction on Truth Social
On Saturday, Trump took to Truth Social, asserting that he draws larger crowds than Elvis "in his prime." He wrote, "I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the Number One Attraction anywhere in the World, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar, the man who loves our Country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the Greatest President in History (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate ‘Artists,’ and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!"
Future of Freedom 250
Trump continued his remarks, emphasizing, "Two years ago, the United States was DEAD. Now we have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country anywhere in the World. I don’t want so-called ‘Artists’ that get paid far too much money, who aren’t happy. I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN." He mentioned considering an "AMERICA IS BACK Rally" on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. "It will be a Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America!"
Despite the withdrawals, Vanilla Ice and Flo Rida remain scheduled to perform across the Freedom 250 concert series. The events are set to take place from June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of the Freedom 250 public-private partnership, backed by the Trump administration.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/trump-freedom-250-artist-dropouts-replace-himself-elvis-1236609603/
