Martina McBride Walks Away From Trump's State Fair Over Misleading Pitch

When a gig sounds too good to be true, it usually is. That’s the lesson country legend Martina McBride learned the hard way this week, when she announced she’s pulling out of President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair scheduled for June 25.

On May 28, the 59-year-old artist took to Instagram to explain her decision. She’d been approached with what she says was a nonpartisan celebration of all 50 states—a concept McBride found genuinely appealing. After all, state fairs are her bread and butter. They’re wholesome, community-focused events where music brings people together. This seemed like a bigger version of exactly that. So she asked questions. Got assurances. Signed on. Then things changed.

“I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading,”she wrote, adding that once“things started changing,”she knew she had to walk. For an artist whose entire career has been built on singing“songs about real people with real issues”and being a voice for those who felt unheard, compromising on her values wasn’t an option. McBride made clear this wasn’t about punting on politics—it was about truth in advertising. She apologized to fans who might feel betrayed, emphasizing that stepping back from this specific event doesn’t mean she’s abandoning the meaning behind her music.

The decision resonated instantly. Fellow artists rushed to the comments section with support. Jason Isbell offered a“WHEW,”while Ashley McBryde posted“AMEN.”Others praised her for doing the right thing. Not everyone agreed, though. Some followers argued that her exit only deepened the divide in the country—a criticism McBride likely anticipated but clearly deemed worth the heat.

She wasn’t alone in her exit either. The same day, the original vocalists of Milli Vanilli—Jodie Rocco, Linda Rocco, Brad Howell, John Davis, and Charles Shaw—released their own statement distancing themselves from the event. They warned that any“Milli Vanilli”act appearing on advertisements should be considered a tribute band with no connection to their actual music or voices. Other performers have also dropped out of the 16-day fair, which runs from June 25 to July 10 in Washington D.C. and features speakers, special guests, attractions like a Ferris wheel and carousel, and rodeo-style events.

What started as a seemingly straightforward gig became a test of where artists draw their lines. For McBride, that line was clear: misrepresentation was a deal-breaker, regardless of the platform or the size of the stage.