Just days after the officially nonpartisan nonprofit organizing group Freedom 250 announced a “first wave” of performers for the U.S. Semiquincentennial concert series in Washington, D.C., more than half of the acts announced they are pulling out because the event is politically charged.Freedom 250, which President Donald Trump has vocally backed, announced on Wednesday nine musical performances for “The Great American State Fair,” one of many events which the Trump Administration has touted for celebrations of the country’s 250th anniversary on July 4 of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But a wave of performers have withdrawn in recent days.TIME has reached out to Freedom 250 for comment.It’s not the first time Trump has caused backlash from the artistic community. Several artists, including Sabrina Carpenter, have previously pushed back against the Administration’s use of their songs to advance its political agenda on social media.Who’s out?Country singer-songwriter Martina McBride, in a Thursday social media post, said she was “presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading.” She added that in the lead-up, she asked several questions and was assured by organizers of nonpartisanship, but that “yesterday things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.” McBride’s performance was originally scheduled for June 25, but she said fans reached out to her after being publicly revealed in the line-up. “I’ve spent my entire career singing songs about real people with real issues,” she added. “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.”Rapper Young MC was scheduled for a performance on June 26. But in a Facebook post, he announced the cancellation of his performance. “The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event,” he wrote, adding that despite claims from organizers that the event is nonpartisan, reports state that it was nonetheless “Trump-backed.” He then added, “I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.” American funk and soul group The Commodores were also among those who canceled their scheduled act on June 27. The group posted Thursday across their social media accounts: “Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party. We support the betterment of all Americans.” Also set to perform on June 27 was funk band Morris Day and The Time, but in a May 27 post on Instagram, leader Morris Day confirmed that, “contrary to rumor,” their group won’t take the stage. “It’s A No For Me,” Day wrote in the post’s caption, without elaborating further.Bret Michaels, in a lengthy post on social media early Friday, also announced that he’s bowing out of the event, claiming it has “evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be part of.” Michaels, who won the Trump-hosted Celebrity Apprentice in 2010, said there were also concerns about the safety of his fans, his band, and his crew.“This isn’t about politics,” he wrote. “It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in.” Michaels added that he intends to perform in D.C. at a later time “under circumstances where the focus can remain on what it should be—the music and the fans.”Who’s in?American rapper Vanilla Ice, who became popular with the 1990 hit song "Ice Ice Baby," said in an Instagram video Thursday that he still plans to participate in the concert and is “super honored” to do so. In the caption, he wrote: “This is to bring us all together. I’m tired of all the news channels dividing this country. We are all one. This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America’s birthday.” In a lengthy and rambling video posted on social media, C+C Music Factory frontman Freedom Williams said he had initially been inclined to back out of the booking amid the backlash but is considering performing anyway out of spite toward those who criticized him for participating. “Do not dictate shit to me. So you can do what the f-ck you want to do. Like I said, f-ck Trump and f-ck you too. But I just might do it …and you can’t cancel shit.”Fab Morvan, one-half of the 1980s pop group Milli Vanilli, also told the Associated Press in a statement Thursday that he will take part in the concert series. A statement from studio vocalists of the group said they won’t be performing, though the Guardian reported earlier this year that Morvan now owns rights to the name Milli Vanilli. Morvan’s photo was also used in the Great American State Fair’s promotional material. “I am here to entertain and unite people, not divide them,” Morvan said. “Let’s celebrate life & music and take a trip down memory lane. I feel honored to be a part of as it will celebrate the 250 Year Anniversary of America with so many other accomplished artists.”American rapper Flo Rida was also named by Freedom 250 as one of the scheduled acts to perform. TIME reached out to his team for confirmation about his plans.Freedom 250 said in its announcement that it will announce more performers in the upcoming weeks.