Recommendations of the Editorial team
While US President Donald Trump rages about his half-finished White House ballroom (after tearing down the East Wing for the project, leaving a gaping hole in the floor), gloating over his Rose Garden remodel and building an octagonal cage on the South Lawn for UFC fights for his 80th birthday, A huge party is scheduled to take place on the National Mall to mark the 250th birthday of the United States. Trump’s UFC birthday party is just one of many events surrounding the anniversary.
On Wednesday, Freedom 250 — the self-described nonpartisan organization that calls itself an “official public-private partnership” that brings together “efforts to shape the defining presidential moments of this anniversary year” — announced the lineup for the event dubbed the “Great American State Fair on National Mall” that left many confused. Sonny Bunch, culture editor at The Bulwark, wrote on X: “This is the worst lineup of music acts I’ve ever seen.” His verdict echoed across the internet: Commentator Mike Ginn asked on
The current lineup includes Martina McBride, Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice, Young MC, C+C Music Factory, Milli Vanilli, the Commodores, Morris Day and the Time and Bret Michaels. The celebrations in Washington, DC are scheduled to begin on June 25th and continue until July 10th. Many expect McBride to perform her 1994 hit “Independence Day” – a song that has been co-opted by the likes of Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity; songwriter Gretchen Peters wrote it about an abused woman, not as a patriotic anthem.
Morris Day denies this
Notable: Morris Day and the Time denied “rumors” about her appearance. In an Instagram post, the Minnesota music legend wrote, “Morris Day & the Time will not be performing at the Great American State Fair.” In the caption he reiterated his statement: “It’s A No For Me.”
The event is billed by organizers as a “celebration that a generation only experiences once.” “The celebration will unite and showcase all 56 U.S. states and territories in a single, World’s Fair-scale event,” the Freedom 250 website says. “This is an opportunity for visitors from across America to experience an unforgettable celebration of the people and traditions that define our nation.”
Shortly after his return to office, Trump set up a task force to prepare for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country, which he chaired himself – Vice President JD Vance was appointed vice chairman.
