US President Donald Trump on Saturday called for a revamp of an upcoming concert event after numerous artist cancellations. He said he was the person best suited to replace the musicians, boasting that only he could draw larger audiences than the late icon Elvis Presley.
The summer concert was meant to be a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Several musical guests recently backed out of the event, dubbed "The Great American State Fair," partly over its ties to Trump.
The Great American State Fair is a 16-day event running from June 25 to July 10, 2026, with concert stages, state pavilions, exhibits, rides, and other attractions.
"I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips' having to do with their performance," Trump said in a long message on his Truth Social platform. With his characteristic capitalization misakes, he went on to call himself the "Number One Attraction anywhere in the World" and the musicians who backed out "highly paid, Third Rate 'Artists.'
Organizers of the event, which is expected to take place on Washington's National Mall, reacted to the president's comments in a statement saying they were "excited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebration on Wednesday, June 24."
