The Freedom 250 concerts scheduled for the National Mall in Washington, DC have been officially cancelled by President Donald Trump, after almost all of the artists bailed.
The shows will be replaced with a rally featuring one of his own speeches as the principal attraction.

Country hitmaker Lee Greenwood will perform, as will Christopher Macchio, singing Nessun Dorma, Hallelujah, Ave Maria and God Bless America.

"Not since the legendary Luciano Pavarotti has there been such a voice," the president gushed.

He added that the rally will also feature "the wonderful US Army Band, Pershing's Own, and Armed Forces Choir, and The President's Own United States Marine Band, with the Joint Armed Forces Chorus", playing "all of your favourite hits."

Several acts that were lined up for the original Freedown 250 concert claimed they initially accepted the invitation to perform at the event billed as "nonpartisan", but pulled out after feeling they had been misled.

Young MC, Martina McBride, the Commodores, Bret Michaels, and Morris Day and the Time were among those who dropped out of the event after backlash from fans who believed the shows would be MAGA-leaning, due to being produced by an organisation founded by President Trump.

Earlier this week, the US President referred to the bailouts as "third-rate artists".

"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," he wrote, referring to himself, in a Truth Social post.

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