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Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 festival faced another setback as heavy rain forced the cancellation of Vanilla Ice’s scheduled performance at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The rapper, known offstage as Robert Matthew Van Winkle, was set to perform at the Great American State Fair’s “I Love the 90s!” event on Friday evening, June 26. However, less than two hours before showtime, organizers announced the event would not proceed due to severe weather conditions.
A festival staff member, identified only as Joe, told The Mirror US, “We are not opening this up until tomorrow,” confirming the closure and expressing uncertainty about any further details. The announcement came as attendees expressed disappointment over the event, which had already drawn criticism for its lack of attractions such as rides and booths.
Earlier in the day, a weather advisory was posted at the festival warning of an approaching severe thunderstorm, urging visitors to take precautions. Around 5 p.m., heavy rain began to fall near the Capitol, making it impossible for the evening’s performances to continue.
Vanilla Ice, who faced backlash for agreeing to perform at the Trump-backed event, downplayed the controversy in a TMZ interview. “I don’t even vote, so I don’t even care,” he said.
He added that he would perform for any audience, regardless of political affiliation, stating, “I’ll go play for Putin and I’ll play in Iran if you want. It don’t matter.”
The Freedom 250 X official account later confirmed the festival would remain closed for the night, with plans to reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 17.
Some critics suggested the cancellation was an excuse for the event’s poor turnout. One social media user remarked, “When nobodies interested in your bulls–t fair you take a short rain as an excuse to close it down,” while another added, “And no one was there anyway.”
Vanilla Ice’s canceled set adds to a growing list of artists who withdrew from the festival, including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, The Commodores, and Morris Day and The Time, further highlighting the challenges faced by the Trump-backed celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.