President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a new lineup of performers for his upcoming Freedom 250 rally in Washington, D.C., scheduled for June 24, after a wave of cancellations left the event scrambling for talent. The announcement, posted on his Truth Social account, names country singer Lee Greenwood and opera vocalist Christopher Macchio as headliners, alongside military bands and choirs.
“We don’t want singers with no talent, but big fees to put you to sleep, we’ve told them all to stay home,” Trump wrote, dismissing the earlier slate of artists who had distanced themselves from the Great American State Fair event. “All we want is you, me, a few speakers, and the Greatest Music ever played.”
Greenwood, known for his anthem “God Bless the USA,” will introduce Trump with the 1984 hit, which the president called “one of the Greatest Hits of All Time.” Macchio, who performed at Trump’s 2025 inauguration, will sing opera pieces including “Nessun Dorma,” “Hallelujah,” “Ave Maria,” and “God Bless America.” Trump compared Macchio’s voice to that of Luciano Pavarotti.
The rally will also feature the U.S. Army Band, the Armed Forces Choir, the U.S. Marine Band, and the Joint Armed Forces Chorus. Trump confirmed he will deliver a speech, referring to himself as “a fine and highly dignified gentleman.”
Mass exodus of original acts
Last week, Freedom 250 announced a “first wave” of performers including Martina McBride, C+C Music Factory, Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, Young MC, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, Flo Rida, and Bret Michaels. But within hours, Young MC and Morris Day and The Time pulled out, with Young MC claiming they were “never told about any political involvement.” The Commodores, McBride, and Michaels soon followed. Artists tied to C+C Music Factory and Milli Vanilli also distanced themselves; Fab Morvan, Milli Vanilli’s surviving frontman, confirmed his exit in a CNN interview.
Flo Rida has not commented publicly. Vanilla Ice, however, has remained enthusiastic, telling TMZ he wants to “bring people together” and would have performed for any president. On Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” he said he was unsure if he was still on the bill but would attend “no matter what.”
The cancellations follow a pattern of artists avoiding association with Trump’s political events, reminiscent of earlier rally controversies. The Trump-backed organization has left the door open for performers, but Trump’s own comments suggest he prefers a pared-down show.
Freedom 250 did not immediately confirm whether Vanilla Ice or Flo Rida remain on the program. The rally, part of the broader Great American State Fair, is set to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary. Trump’s announcement effectively sidelines the earlier concert series, which had been organized separately.
In related news, Trump has also been pushing a monument revamp plan near the Lincoln Memorial, while his legal strategy involving SLAPP suits continues to draw scrutiny.
