Interior Secretary Doug Burgum faced tough questions on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday over the funding and transparency of Donald Trump’s planned “Great American State Fair” to mark the US’s 250th anniversary. Asked by host Dana Bash whether donations for the event would be made public, Burgum deflected, calling Trump more “transparent” than any CEO and claiming the matter was “up to” the Freedom 250 organisation, despite being one of its leaders.
When pressed, Burgum argued the event was about “Americans celebrating the 250th anniversary” and not donor transparency. The Freedom 250 organisation, run out of the White House, has faced scrutiny over private funding sources, with Democrats calling for greater openness. Burgum’s evasions came as several musical acts cancelled performances, including Milli Vanilli, whose original members clarified they would not take part.
Burgum denied the event was partisan, despite Trump himself calling it a “Make America Great Again rally” – the name of his political organisation. The secretary blamed departing acts for “segmenting their audiences” and claimed they had been misinformed about the event’s nonpartisan nature. A Freedom 250 spokesperson insisted the celebration was “inherently nonpolitical”.
The event, set to include a UFC match and state pavilions on the National Mall, is part of Trump’s broader push to beautify Washington D.C. However, critics argue it risks becoming a partisan spectacle, echoing the poorly attended military parade of his first term.
