At least seven of the nine musical acts announced for the Freedom 250 concert series, organised by Donald Trump's group to celebrate the US's 250th anniversary, have withdrawn within 48 hours of the lineup being revealed.
Bret Michaels, frontman of Poison, was the latest to pull out on Friday, citing a deteriorating atmosphere and threats. 'What was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive,' he said in a statement, adding that his decision was 'not about politics'.
Morris Day was the first to drop out, calling his participation a 'rumour'. Young MC said artists were never told about political involvement. The Commodores, C+C Music Factory, Martina McBride and Milli Vanilli also distanced themselves, with several stating they were misled about the event's non-partisan nature.
Vanilla Ice remains on the bill, having performed previously at Trump's Mar-a-Lago. The series is scheduled for summer on Washington DC's National Mall.
