Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen among the star-studded lineup that performed at the inauguration of the Obama center
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Former American president Barack Obama has arranged a number of stars to perform at the grand opening of his new cultural center.
US President Donald Trump, however, may be absent. Earlier this year he “Obama’s badly delayed, and over-budgeted, ‘library.’
It included the White House-hosted Freedom 250 UFC event on Sunday for Trump’s 80th birthday. Fighter Josh Hokit used his post-fight interview at the event to bash Michelle Obama.
Part of that confusion comes from Trump bypassing a congressionally created, bipartisan committee — America 250 — that was assigned a decade ago to honor the upcoming anniversary. The move from that group to the pro-Trump committee led by Trump, Freedom 250, has led to confusion.
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Performers still expected to appear include Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice – the only remaining acts of the nine originally scheduled to perform.
Trump then suggested that the original concept of the event should be canceled after “the most expensive artists, that no one wants to hear” came out. Next, he said he would headline a kickoff rally on June 24 on the National Mall instead, calling himself the “Number One Attraction anywhere in the World.”
That legitimacy is something that could not be said about the Trumps — “and I’m not sure that’s going to change,” he added.
“It’s been passive on the part of the Obamas, and maybe that’s something that Donald Trump has a hard time accepting.”
Obama officials, however, have been criticized for the size of the facility and its beauty. “The building has an ominous presence, its mostly windowless heft recalling a menacing sci-fi headquarters,” wrote The Guardian’s Oliver Wainwright.
There was also criticism of the decision not to have a National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) facility on site.
