Morris Day and the Time Exit Trump’s Freedom 250 Concert

Morris Day and the Time have pulled out of the Great American State Fair, part of the Trump administration’s Freedom 250 summer concert series for the United States’ 250th anniversary. The decision came the same day the lineup was made public.

Day posted an image on Instagram with the text, “Contrary to rumor, Morris Day & The Time will not be performing at the ‘Great American State Fair.’” The caption was short and deliberate: “It’s A No For Me,” followed by a sunglasses emoji. No explanation accompanied the statement.

The free event is set to run from June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Alongside Morris Day and the Time, the initial bill listed Milli Vanilli, C+C Music Factory, Young MC, Bret Michaels, Flo Rida, Martina McBride, and the Commodores, with “many more” advertised. It’s one of several planned celebrations for the semiquincentennial.

The Minneapolis group’s exit reads as a quiet refusal to be part of the administration’s programming. In a season where American semiquincentennial events carry unavoidable political weight, the swift dropout says enough.