Sammy Hagar defended his planned appearance at the Freedom 250 Fourth of July celebration, saying the event was meant to honor America's 250th birthday and "was not a political thing." Hagar faced criticism from some fans after announcing he would perform at the event, which was organized by Freedom 250, a group created under President Trump's direction. Some critics viewed the event as politically affiliated, while organizers have maintained it is nonpartisan. Most of the July 4 celebration was canceled because of bad weather before Hagar could perform. Afterward, he shared the speech he had planned to deliver, calling for Americans to reunite, stop the violence, and stop the hate.