Trump Compares Himself to Elvis, Hints He'll Headline Freedom 250 After Artists Drop Out
President Donald Trump recently slammed the musicians who backed out of the Great American State Fair, floating the idea that he could take their place.
What should have been a fairly straightforward announcement turned into a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows this week. Freedom 250 released a list of nostalgic performers who would take the stage during the 16-day Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., including country star Martina McBride, metal legend Bret Michaels, rapper Young MC, C+C Music Factory, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, Milli Vanilli, Vanilla Ice, and Flo Rida.
By the end of the next day, every artist (except Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice) had backed out of the show. As performers did an about-face, the individual artists issued statements explaining why they pulled the plug. And while every performer had something slightly different to say (C+C Music Factory's Freedom Williams' Instagram rant from his bathroom took the cake as the best response), they all agreed on one thing-this not-so-nonpartisan show is a no-go.
Trump took to social media on Saturday, posting his response (on Truth Social) to the Freedom 250 fiasco. And it looks like the President has some, let's go with interesting, things to say about it. He starts off the post with a pitch for a new show starring someone who he bills as bigger than the King himself (i.e., Elvis Presley), "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 off these highly paid, Third Rate "Artists" and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!"
Just in case you're wondering whether the performance is really on Wednesday, it is not. But the event lineup announcement was last Wednesday, May 27. Trump continues, "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."
Trump doesn't stop there. The President went on to say, "So, by copy of this TRUTH, I am ordering my Representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally on Wednesday, Washington, D.C., same time, same location. Only Great Patriots invited-It will be a Wild and Beautiful Celebration of America!"
To clarify, Freedom 250's Great American State Fair is not on Wednesday. The event is scheduled to take place on the National Mall from June 25 through July 10.
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This story was originally published May 30, 2026 at 12:22 PM.