Artists connected to “Freedom 250” concerts in Washington, D.C., including Milli Vanilli and Morris Day and the Time, announce they will not perform. The dispute follows an earlier lineup announcement for a music-focused celebration marking 250 years of the United States. According to multiple reports, Morris Day said he would not be performing, even amid uncertainty over whether the booking was accurate, and Young MC later also withdrew. Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan, who had previously indicated support for performing, reverses course and tells CNN that his decision changes after receiving guidance from his team that there is “no political alignment” and that the event is “just a” nonpolitical affair. Other outlets characterize the broader controversy as becoming more disputed after public comments and attention around the series, including references to additional artists backing out or being questioned. PBS NewsHour reports that a Freedom 250 spokesperson does not immediately respond to a request for comment. Across coverage, the central point is the withdrawal of these acts from the Freedom 250 shows on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as members distance themselves from the event’s political associations.