Country music superstar Martina McBride announced on Thursday that she is backing out of The Great American State Fair, an event aligned with President Donald Trump, after claiming she was misled about its nature. The decision has ignited fury among Trump's MAGA fanbase.
McBride's Statement
In her announcement, McBride stated, "I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading. I asked lots of questions and was assured this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states." She explained that she initially believed the event would be a wholesome celebration bringing people together through music, similar to a larger state fair.
However, McBride noted that "things started changing" and what she was told was not what was actually happening. She emphasized her career-long commitment to singing about real people and real issues, expressing concern that fans might feel abandoned by her decision. "I assure you, that is not the case," she added.
Conservative Backlash
McBride's withdrawal sparked anger among Trump loyalists. Richard Grenell, the former acting director of national intelligence under Trump, slammed the singer on X, calling her a "woke Lefty." Other right-wing figures piled on, with conservative influencer Tomi Lahren calling her a "coward," and the account Catturd saying, "Imagine being this weak." The notorious MAGA-friendly page Libs of TikTok also labeled McBride "pathetic."
Support from Fans and Peers
Despite the backlash, McBride received significant support online. Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow replied to McBride's Instagram post, praising her as "authentic and real." Other users compared the event's unraveling to the infamous Fyre Festival, with one tweet noting, "this thing is turning into an even worse debacle than Fyre Fest." Another user highlighted the MAGA reaction, saying, "The way MAGA is crashing out in the comments."
McBride joins a growing list of performers withdrawing from the event, which is scheduled to be held at the National Mall and organized by the self-described "non-partisan" Freedom 250 organization, created via a presidential order.
