Richard Arnold: US correspondent on the number of artists dropping out of the 'Freedom 250' concert series

A star-studded musical celebration is in the works for the United States' 250th birthday, but more big acts have been backing away.

Trump's administration had publicised multiple headliners for a 'Freedom 250' concert series between 25 June and 10 July, but Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, Young MC and the Commodores all confirmed they were pulling out.

This leaves Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli, and Flo Rida in the lineup, but Trump is reportedly considering cancelling the musical performances altogether. 

US correspondent Richard Arnold says Trump is considering hosting a 'Make America Great Again rally' instead.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at b
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
And I'm joined now by Richard ard Or out of
the United States of America. Happy King's Birthday from New
Zealand to you, Richard.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Well, thank you, very good morning, Andrew, And I.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Was mentioning the Commodorees. Of course, the Commodorees were scheduled
to play in that two hundred and fiftieth Birthday concert
for the United States of America, not with one of
the Prayer but with Lionel Richie and the team. But
they pulled out. This celebratory concert has turned into a
bit of a shamuzzle.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
A bit of a mess. Here. It is, as you say,
King's Birthday where you are. This country is getting ready
to celebrate the two hundred and fifty years without a king.
There will be big events all around the landmarking the
celebration of US independence, all kinds of celebrations and cultural events.
But one of them, as you indicators, run into some troubles.
It's called Freedom two hundred and fifty and it was

(00:58):
supposed to feature an entertainment packed state fair on the
National mall in DC. However, top musicians, including those you mentioned,
have pulled out of the cons saying they did not
realize this was going to be a political, sort of
pro Trump event. So musicians including country singer Martina McBride,
the funk group The Commodorees, and hip hop singer Young

(01:19):
MC have withdrawn, among some others. Vanilla I says he
would be happy to participate. You play for the fans,
he says, saying he would happily play for Putin or
for Iran, adding it don't matter quite unquote well, Trump
is furious, saying he will now bring in the quote
number one attraction anywhere in the world, the man, the
man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, himself.

(01:43):
He wants to turn into a mega political rally. Plans
for this turnaround are described by organizers as chaos right now,
leading Democratic Senator Cory Booker to lash out this morning.

Speaker 4 (01:53):
What's that's the Trump Lincoln memorial? God bless America? He
is putting his name on arm. What's put his name
on arm? Money on our passports, on our park passes.
And when it's not, when the court stop him, he
acts like a petulant.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Child ah politics.

Speaker 3 (02:07):
When he says warts, he is referring to a list
of recent court losses for Trump, including one judge who
was demanded that the Trump name be taken down from
the front of the Kennedy Center at Washington, d C.
Within fourteen days is the deadline. Trump is slamming the
judge as a quote anti Trump hater. The judge ruled
the Congress gave the Kennedy Center it's name, and only
the US Congress can change that. Trump now saying he

(02:29):
has quote no interest in the Kennedy Center, even though
it was only a few weeks ago when his newly
chosen board members for the Kennedy Center named him as
their chairman.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Mister Trump also called the Commodore's a third rate band,
which I think some fans might have some issue with.
But there we have it. Now we've got immigration protests
outside an ice facility in New Jersey. We shall do.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
This is the latest flashpoint over immigration enforcement we've seen
because big protests in Minnesota where No Good and Alex
Pretty were shot dead back in January. We spoke about that,
you and me back at the time. Protests also played
out in La Now in Newark and New Jersey, there
have been increasingly vigorous protests outside an iced attention site
called Delaney Hall after claims of detaining these being beaten

(03:10):
and pepper sprayed out of substandard conditions, including they say
food that is rotten and filled with maggots and worms.
Says the wife of one detainee, Gabriella Soto.

Speaker 4 (03:20):
They served live worms, ones who are crawling through their trace.

Speaker 3 (03:28):
Yeah, there was a reported hunger striker's result and Senator
Andy Kim tried to investigate and says he was pepper
sprayed at the side. The protest outside then grew angrier
last night and here's part of what was going on
through the morning hours. Yeah, police were called in. So

(03:50):
now there is a curfew near the spot and Governor
Mikey Cheryl says limited family visitations will resume starting in
the coming hour.

Speaker 5 (03:59):
Newark has acted to impose a narrow and localized curfew
in this area until further notice to ensure safe visitation
for families and loved ones.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
Homeland Security now under of course, new leadership since Christy
Nome was fired back in March, says they did not
cave to the Governor's demands in resuming family visitations. They
say conditions simply were unsafe. Meantime, some Democrat police went
to the site and House leader Clean Jeffrey says in
a statement that the conditions of confinement they discussed with
about two dozen detainees quote shock the conscience, adding that

(04:32):
immigration enforcement quote should be fair, justin humane, and quote
Homeland Security now saying that this New Jersey side is
one of two hundred and twenty immigration detention facilities operating
around the United States right now, two hundred and twenty.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Andrew, all right, yes, Richard, I thank you so much
for your time today.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
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