Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on Sunday defended the nonpartisan nature of a concert series planned for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, even as President Donald Trump referred to the event as a rally. In an interview on CNN's State of the Union, Burgum dismissed calls to publicly identify donors for the series and criticized musicians who withdrew, saying they have "segmented their audiences" like politicians.
Burgum's Remarks on Musicians and Nonpartisanship
"I can't weigh into the politics of musicians because some musicians want to play music for everybody. And some musicians seem to have segmented their audiences the same way politicians have," Burgum told host Dana Bash. He maintained that the event, dubbed Freedom 250, is nonpartisan. However, Bash pushed back, noting that musicians claimed they were misled into believing the event was apolitical.
Trump's Rally Comments
When asked about Trump calling the event a MAGA rally, Burgum said, "Well, it is, but that's something I think we all can certainly understand." Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social, suggesting he might replace the artists with a rally featuring himself as the main attraction. He wrote, "I only want to be surrounded by Happy People, Smart People, Successful People, and People that know how to WIN."
Artist Withdrawals and Donor Transparency
At least seven of the nine scheduled artists, including the Commodores, C+C Music Factory, Martina McBride, and Milli Vanilli, canceled their performances, citing concerns that the event was partisan. Burgum dismissed calls for donor transparency, saying, "It's not about the transparency of the donors. This is about Americans celebrating the 250th anniversary." He did not confirm whether the concert series would proceed as planned.
Other Topics
Burgum also defended high-profit margins of contractors awarded no-bid contracts for updating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for the celebration. Additionally, he indicated the administration may appeal a judge's order to remove Trump's name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
