What To Know
- Rachel Maddow highlighted a series of failed celebrations and events planned by Donald Trump for the U.S. 250th birthday.
- She mocked the disastrous Freedom 250 concert, noting that multiple artists dropped out.
- Maddow drew parallels to Trump’s past poorly organized events, such as his first inauguration.
MS NOW host Rachel Maddow took viewers through the history of Donald Trump‘s failed celebrations on Monday night (June 1) amid the recent drama surrounding the president’s Freedom 250 concert.
“Celebrations are supposed to start this month for the country’s 250th birthday,” the anchor said on Monday’s edition of The Rachel Maddow Show. “And I know you’ve heard all about Trump kind of botching the celebrations that are planned for the 250th in Washington.”
Maddow then went through some of those planned events, including hosting a UFC cage match on the White House lawn. “Sponsored by what multiple state gambling authorities widely consider to be an illegal gambling operation,” she added, referring to the cryptocurrency casino and sports betting platform Stake.
“Trump also decided to put a car race on the streets of D.C.,” Maddow continued, referencing the IndyCar street race, Freedom 250 Grand Prix. She pointed out how “someone had the brilliant idea” to market an official t-shirt that read, “One Nation, One Race.” The shirt was later taken down from the website “after not quite being able to explain that one.”
She then turned her attention to the disastrous Freedom 250 concert, saying, “Trump now has called for the cancellation of a concert that he had tried to plan in Washington for the 250th after, again, a melange of celebrities and former celebrities they thought they had persuaded to come perform… started to drop out.”
“Trump was humiliated by that for obvious reasons, so now he’s called for the whole event to be canceled and he’s announced that he himself should be the headliner,” Maddow added. “So, okay, that’ll be great.”
The president took to Truth Social on Saturday (May 30) after the likes of Young MC, Commodores,Morris Dayof Morris Day and The Time, Martina McBride, andBret Michaelsall backed out of the event. Trump suggested he should “take the place of these highly paid, Third Rate ‘Artists,’ and give a major speech.”
“You know, this is kind of how it goes with Trump,” Maddow said, recalling his first inauguration, which she described as “poorly organized,” “poorly attended,” and “sort of, sadly, underwhelming when it came to star power.”
“The vibe was likecut-rate wedding DJ anddesultory junior varsity marching band,” she continued. “I mean, even for Trump, I think it was therefore kind of a relief when his second inauguration came around and had to be moved indoors for poor weather.”
She also mocked the right-wing alternative Super Bowl halftime show, where “Kid Rock kind of just lost the thread trying to lip sync and gave up halfway through.”
“Trump is just not good at this stuff,” Maddow concluded.
The Rachel Maddow Show, Mondays, 9/8c, MSNBC