National Mall state fair blends Americana with Trump-era politics

WASHINGTON – The Great American State Fair underway on the National Mall is operating under a cloud of controversy. 

The fair, a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 initiative commemorating the country’s 250th anniversary, has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, state officials and performers who say it has become closely aligned with Trump’s political movement.

Despite its atmosphere, with food vendors and exhibits, the event is steeped in Trump-era politics. 

The schedule features MAHA Mondays, a reference to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement championed by vaccine skeptic and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as appearances from administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz and Superman actor Dean Cain.

The temporary fairground is nestled between Smithsonian museums, with views of the Capitol at one end and the Washington Monument on the other. 

Visitors had mixed reviews.

Mario Beckles, 61, a deputy comptroller with the Army Reserve visiting from Dumfries, Virginia, 30 miles south, said all he noticed was “Americana” that embodies a celebratory spirit that anyone could enjoy, regardless of their political leanings. 

He wasn’t going to miss it, since the next big celebration – the tricentennial – won’t be until 2076.

“I’m not going to be here for the 300th anniversary,” he said. 

Barbara Jurs, who flew to Washington for a day trip from Berkeley County, South Carolina, just to spend the day at the fair, called it “the best idea.”

This is “an event that is to unify our country,” she said, adding, “If somebody isn’t participating, they are the ones not being unifying.”

Josh Brulé, a resident of suburban Maryland, deemed the fair just “OK,” and not even as good as the annual Montgomery County Fair in Gaithersburg, 25 miles north.

“The most disappointing part is that people are just kind of apathetic” about the fair and the 250th commemoration, he said, adding that he wished attendees “were more excited.”

Nonpartisan event turns partisan

Trump led an “America is Back” kickoff event June 24 ahead of the fair’s opening last Thursday. At times it felt like a campaign-style rally, though flyovers by fighter jets and a B-2 stealth bomber took it to another level.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in one of the edgier speeches, addressed the well-publicized cancellations by musical acts, including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Young MC, The Commodores and Morris Day and The Time. 

McBride wrote on Instagram that she had been “assured this was a nonpartisan event” but later concluded that characterization was “misleading.” Young MC and The Commodores cited similar concerns.

“We have to give a big round of applause to our military band and singers. Way better than those libtards that canceled on us,” Duffy told a crowd where MAGA hats were a common sight, drawing cheers.

Country singer Lee Greenwood performed “Proud to be an American,” the unofficial Republican anthem.

Flag waving supporters erupted into chants of “USA” and prolonged applause as Trump took the stage.

“Tonight, as we stand on the edge of our 250th year of independence, I am thrilled to declare that America is back,” he said in a speech laced with attacks on political opponents.

Taking a poke at former President Joe Biden, he said: “A short time ago, we were a dead country. … Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world. We’re respected. … Nobody’s laughing at us anymore.”

Freedom 250 spokesperson Julia Friedland told The Hill that the organization Trump created to oversee celebrations for the semiquincentennial is “inherently nonpolitical.”

But to Trump’s critics, Freedom 250 is prime evidence that he has tried to hijack the anniversary.

Congress created the America 250 commission a decade ago to organize the festivities. 

Trump’s initiative has largely taken over, with events tailored to his tastes and those of his political base, such as mixed martial arts cage bouts on the White House lawn on his 80th birthday on June 14 and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an IndyCar race on the streets of the capital in late August.

“By and large, I just see people just enjoying the day and just celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary,” Beckles said during his visit to the fair Monday, though he acknowledged that “there’s some of those people in here … maybe trying to have an agenda that they want to communicate.”

Snubs by Democratic states

The fair is designed to resemble a traditional state fair, with a 110-foot Ferris wheel with spectacular views of the Capitol; exhibits from states, territories and federal agencies; $23 turkey legs and other fair food; and live entertainment from rodeo demonstrations to concerts. 

Unlike most state fairs, admission is free. That has not ensured big crowds so far, though. Attendance has been modest even on days with milder weather than the capital will see on July 4.

Far bigger crowds are expected on the Fourth for a fireworks show that Trump has billed as 10 times bigger than anything the U.S. has ever seen. 

The fair runs through July 10. 

Each participating state operates a pavilion showcasing its identity through exhibits on scenic destinations, culture, signature foods and major industries. Many also offered interactive displays and souvenirs.

Arizona contributed “Arizona Illuminated,” a multi-sensory pavilion designed to recreate the iconic landscapes of Antelope Canyon, a ponderosa pine forest and the Sonoran Desert at night.

Alix Skelpsa Ridgway, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism, said the installation was intended to highlight the state’s beauty and encourage tourism.

But 11 states controlled by Democrats declined to participate: Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Many cited costs. Some also cited concerns about the event’s MAGA tilt.

The event had become more of a “partisan affair than originally presented,” a spokesperson for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek told OregonLive.

An aide to Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told Cronkite News that the state remains “a proud partner in America250” – the nonpartisan entity created by Congress.

The crowds included families, veterans and visitors from across the country, as well as some international tourists. Patriotic and Trump-themed apparel was a common sight throughout the fairgrounds.

A volunteer with David’s Tent, a Christian ministry hosting a 24/7 worship and prayer at the fair, said the crowd seemed diverse to her. 

Felicia Adeyinka of Towson, Maryland, a Baltimore suburb, said her favorite part has been “seeing the different people, the different cultures, and how everyone is so receptive and amazing.” 

Whatever political frictions exist, she said, Americans can get past them ”if we keep loving on people and showing them goodness and showing them kindness.”

Related