Martina McBride Drops Out of Donald Trump's 'Misleading' Freedom 250 Concert

Country music star Martina McBride has officially withdrawn from the upcoming "Great American State Fair" concert series on the National Mall after stating she was misled into believing it was a nonpartisan celebration.

Her exit comes alongside a mass exodus of several other major musical acts who pulled out of the event due to its political ties and lack of transparency.

McBride cleared the air on Instagram, explaining that she asked extensive questions before signing up and was explicitly assured the event would be completely nonpartisan. She envisioned it as a wholesome, nationwide celebration of all 50 states. However, as more information emerged, she realized the event carried intense political framing.

“I was presented with the opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event, but that turned out to be misleading,” the award-winning singer wrote on her Instagram on Thursday, May 28. “I asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states. In my mind, I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can … Yesterday things started changing, and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”

The “Independence Day” singer noted that she has spent over three decades singing about real people and real issues, and she did not want her fans to think she was abandoning the meaning behind her music.

“I’ve spent my entire career singing about real people with real issues. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn’t have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you that is not the case,” she continued.

Fellow musicians Sheryl Crow, Jason Isbell and Ashley McBryde publicly voiced their support for her decision in her comments section.

“Martina, you are a beautiful artist, mother, citizen, American. You have always been exactly as you are in this moment… authentic and real. So moved by you and proud to know you,” Crow wrote.

Isbell wrote, “WHEW,” with a hands-up emoji, while McBryde wrote, “Amen.”

The Great American State Fair is a 16-day exposition from June 25 to July 10, organized by Freedom 250, a non-profit linked to President Donald Trump, to celebrate America's 250th birthday.

Despite the group claiming a nonpartisan stance, the event was heavily criticized as being highly politically charged and "Trump-backed." It features thematic schedule blocks, such as "MAHA Monday," that directly highlight Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s "Make America Healthy Again" initiative.

McBride is just one of many artists to pull out within 48 hours of the initial lineup announcement.

The musical roster has largely dissolved, with multiple acts citing identical concerns about how the event was sold to them.

Poison frontman and Celebrity Apprentice champ Bret Michaels dropped out, stating that the celebration had evolved into something far more divisive than he had agreed to.

The Prince-masterminded band Morris Day & The Time did the same, with Day shutting down their participation with a social media post saying, "It's a no for me.”

The Commodores, which tours without founding member Lionel Richie, withdrew while clarifying that they choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party.

Young MC and lip-syncing legends Milli Vanilli, whose original member Rob Pilatus died in 1998 of a drug overdose, also canceled.

C+C Music Factory co-founder Robert Clivillés strongly distanced the group from the event, slamming touring rapper Freedom Williams for "misusing" the group's name to perform at the politically charged event.

Williams posted an explicit seven-minute video diatribe from a bathroom toilet on the group's official Instagram account, stating, “I don't f--- with Trump... I know the type of f---ing anarchy he creates."

As of this writing, the only people still scheduled to perform at the concert are Vanilla Ice, Williams and rapper Flo Rida.

While organizers from Freedom 250 continue to maintain that the event is an effort to unify Americans around the country's semi-quincentennial milestone, the massive artist walkout has cast a significant shadow over the festival's opening week.