President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will headline “The Great American State Fair,” an upcoming celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, after several musical guests withdrew from the lineup. The event is scheduled for June 24 on Washington’s National Mall.
The announcement followed statements from multiple performers who said they were backing out of the fair partly because of the event’s ties to the president. Organizers from the group Freedom 250 confirmed the revised billing in a statement released Saturday.
“We are excited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebration on Wednesday, June 24,” Freedom 250 said. The group did not immediately name replacement acts or address the departures in its statement.
Trump addressed the lineup changes on his Truth Social platform, framing the withdrawals as nervousness on the part of the performers.
“I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance,” Trump posted. He added that he was considering bringing “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.’”
The fair is one of several high-profile events planned in Washington to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial. Federal agencies and private groups have organized a series of exhibitions, performances, and civic events across the capital in 2026.
The president’s direct involvement in a National Mall entertainment event marks a departure from traditional anniversary programming. Previous semiquincentennial milestones have typically been hosted by state agencies, nonprofit commissions, or independent cultural organizations.
No further details regarding the event’s security arrangements, ticketing structure, or remaining entertainment schedule were released with the Saturday announcement. The Associated Press first reported the organizer confirmation and the president’s social media posts.