Critics on Both Sides Mock Trump Replacing Cancelling Artists with Himself at ‘Freedom 250’ Concert: ‘Lame and Boring’

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he leaves the White House for travel to Beijing, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Washington, to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Donald Trump found critics on the left and right after revealing on Saturday that he’s considering scratching a planned “Freedom 250” concert in favor of him simply giving a speech.

In a Truth Social post, Trump lashed out at musicians he said were getting “the yips” over performing at an upcoming concert, part of a series of events celebrating the country’s birthday. After a big lineup was announced for a concert, part of what is being sold as The Great American State Fair, most of the artists backed out, including Bret Michaels and Martina McBride. Some cited divisiveness around the event as the reason for backing out.

Trump suggested he scrap all the “third rate” musicians and just hold a rally instead, claiming he pulls in bigger crowds than Elvis Presley in his “prime.”

The president wrote:

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 of these highly paid, Third Rate “Artists,” and give a major speech, rallying the Country forward like I have done ever since being President!

Some of Trump’s usual critics accused him of turning the event into an ego trip while some conservatives even questioned the idea.

Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh called the idea “lame and boring.”

“Might be an unpopular opinion on here but replacing a concert with a speech is lame and boring. Just go out and get real musicians to play. Don’t cancel the concert just because a bunch of washed up old has-beens canceled. There are hundreds of artists out there who might not be famous but would absolutely leap at the chance to play on a stage like this,” he wrote.

In another X post, Walsh said he was “pissed” at how “America 250” celebrations have been “bungled.”

CNN’s Jake Tapper had to do a double take to make sure the post was real.

Trump promised a “wild” event in place of the “Freedom 250″ concert.”

“I don’t want so-called “Artists” that get paid far too much money, who aren’t happy,” he wrote. “I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN. 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!”

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