US Singer Bret Michaels Joins Dropped Artists in Trump's Concert Series Scandal
### Statement from Bret Michaels Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of, said Bret Michaels in a statement on social media.
### US Singer Drops Out of Trump's Concert Series Over Safety Concerns US singer Bret Michaels has joined a list of at least six other artists who have dropped out of a concert series organized by Donald Trump's administration to mark the US's 250th anniversary. The series has been mired in controversy over safety concerns and a divisive atmosphere. Michaels, the frontman of the band Poison, announced his withdrawal from the concert series on Friday, citing concerns for his fans, band, crew, family, and himself due to threats that are 'completely unfounded and unforgivable'.
### Concert Series Controversy Deepens This comes just days after Morris Day, Young MC, the Commodores, C+C Music Factory, Martina McBride, and Milli Vanilli either dropped out or expressed surprise that they had been booked for the event. The concert series was initially announced with a lineup of nine musical acts, including Bret Michaels. However, within 48 hours of the lineup being announced, at least seven of the featured acts have dropped out.
### US District Judge Blocks Trump's 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' The US district judge for the Eastern District of Virginia, Leonie Brinkema, has blocked President Trump's administration from moving forward with the 'Anti-Weaponization Fund', a proposed $1.8 billion fund meant to compensate victims of government 'weaponization'. The fund was created as part of an agreement to settle Trump's lawsuit against the IRS, after his tax records were leaked.
### Middle East War Ceasefire Talks Stall US Vice President JD Vance said Washington and Tehran are close to agreeing a deal to extend their ceasefire in the Middle East war, which has been ongoing for several months. However, the deal hangs on Donald Trump's approval, with Vance stating that 'it's hard to say exactly when or if the president is going to sign the MOU'.
### Artist Behind Trump Portrait Revealed The artist responsible for the prototypes of a $250 bill bearing Donald Trump's portrait is a Briton named Iain Alexander, who described himself online as a royal portrait artist, sculptor, and a former Olympic squad swimmer.
### South Carolina Redistricting Efforts Fail The South Carolina state Senate vote on redistricting has failed, with some senators stating it was too late to change district lines. Longtime representative Jim Clyburn condemned a White House-led effort he said aimed to 'zero out Democratic voters, zero out African American voters out of the process'. Clyburn expressed concern that the attempt to redraw voting districts would likely result in gerrymandering and unfairly disadvantage minority groups.
### US Supreme Court Ruling Weakening Voting Rights Act Leads to Redistricting Attempts A recent US Supreme Court ruling has weakened minority protections under the federal Voting Rights Act, leading to attempts by Republicans to redraw voting districts to their advantage. Republicans in Louisiana are poised to eliminate a majority-Black congressional district, which has been in existence since the 1980s.
### White House Pushes for Trump Portrait Bill The White House is pushing for Congress to approve a $250 bill bearing Donald Trump's portrait, which would require changing federal law to allow living people to appear on US currency. The treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, stated that the bill would be in celebration of the country's 250th anniversary of independence.
### Former Attorney-General Testifies in Epstein Files Investigation Former attorney-general Pam Bondi is testifying before the US House oversight and reform committee, as part of an investigation into the administration's handling of the Epstein files. The committee has faced criticism over its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the release of relevant files by a specific deadline.
### Three Found Guilty in Spokane Protest Case A jury in Spokane, Washington found three people guilty of federal conspiracy charges for their part in a protest outside the city's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility last June. The defendants were charged with conspiracy to cause injury to ICE personnel and property during the protest.
### Middle East Ceasefire Deal Hangs in Balance US Vice President JD Vance said Washington and Tehran are close to agreeing a deal to extend their ceasefire in the Middle East war, which has been ongoing for several months.
### Spokane Protest Verdict A jury in Spokane, Washington found three people guilty of federal conspiracy charges for their part in a protest outside the city's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility last June.