US President Donald Trump has said he may personally take part in the Freedom 250 celebration after several scheduled performers withdrew from the event.

The festival, which is part of the Great American State Fair and intended to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, is due to be held on the National Mall in Washington, DC, between 25 June and 10 July.The original line-up included artists such as Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida, Bret Michaels, The Commodores, Young MC and others.Following the announcement, a number of performers publicly stated that they would no longer appear.Morris Day & The Time, Young MC, Bret Michaels, The Commodores and Martina McBride were among those reported to have withdrawn.

Several artists indicated that they had believed the event would be non-political and were unaware of its direct association with Trump when they initially agreed to participate.

In response, Trump posted a message on Truth Social criticising the departing performers and suggesting that he could replace them by appearing himself.

He described himself as a major attraction capable of drawing large crowds and proposed holding an 'America Is Back' rally at the same venue and time.He also praised the current state of the country under his leadership and said he preferred to be surrounded by supporters and successful people.

The event faced further confusion when a group identifying itself as Real Milli Vanilli stated that performers advertised under the Milli Vanilli name were not associated with them.

However, Fab Morvan, one of the original public faces of the group, confirmed that he still intends to perform, saying that he wants to entertain audiences and celebrate the anniversary event.The story adds to a series of recent controversies involving Trump and cultural institutions and public figures.