President Donald Trump has billed the “Great American State Fair” as a patriotic World’s Fair featuring pavilions created by every US state and territory, but several US states will not participate.
According to CNN, officials from Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Oregon have declined an invitation from the Trump administration to showcase their states at the giant fairgrounds being built on the National Mall.
Pennsylvania and Maryland has yet to decide whether it will participate.
While officials said their states’ decisions were largely due to costs, a spokesperson for Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, pointed to concerns about the partisan nature of the event, set to open June 25 and last about two weeks.
Spokesperson Luke Harkin said, “The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington D.C. is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented.”
As per a spokesperson for Freedom 250 all 50 states and territories will be represented even if some states do not provide input, and details are still being “actively finalized.”
The spokesperson said, “What we can say is that every state’s story will be told in a way that’s authentic to its people, history, and culture. Whether represented by a governor’s office, a tourism board, or a beloved state company or organization, every community will be celebrated.”
Freedom 250 is the Trump-aligned nonprofit putting together the fair and a plethora of other 250th events backed by the president.
Trump has loomed large over celebrations of America’s semiquincentennial and has used the power of his office to direct programs, funding and themes that fit with his vision of the country.
