Trump to "personally kick off" 250th anniversary in place of concert

US President Donald Trump will headline an event commemorating the nation's 250th

anniversary on the National Mall next month, organisers said on Saturday, after several musical performers scheduled to appear in the celebration cancelled, citing concerns about its association with him.

The concerts were planned as the opening ceremony of the Great American State Fair, a 16-day event running from June 25 to July 10.

Organised by the Freedom 250 group, the event would stretch on the National Mall from the

US Capitol to the Washington Monument, with concert stages, state pavilions, exhibits, rides, and other attractions.

But the musical lineup has been hit by a series of

cancellations. On Friday, Bret Michaels, the lead singer of the rock band Poison, became the fifth performer to withdraw from the concerts, saying the event was not the nonpartisan celebration he thought it would be.

In a post on Truth Social earlier on Saturday, Trump

suggested the concert series may no longer be necessary if performers continue to back out. He floated the possibility of giving a speech on the National Mall instead, portraying himself as a more powerful draw than any musical act.