President Trump announced Saturday that he intends to hold a political rally to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
The announcement came after several artists said they would no longer perform at the upcoming Great American State Fair on the National Mall.
Trump addressed the situation publicly, referencing the performers who had pulled out of the scheduled event.
“I understand Artists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I…” Trump said in his statement.
The Great American State Fair was planned as a marquee event tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The National Mall was set to serve as the venue for the high-profile fair and its accompanying entertainment lineup.
Trump’s announcement signaled a shift toward a more explicitly political format for marking the historic milestone.
Several artists had publicly indicated they would not participate in the National Mall celebration before Trump made his announcement.
The move to hold a rally represents a notable change in how the administration plans to mark the anniversary event.
Trump’s comments suggested he was aware of and directly responding to the growing list of performers declining to appear.