Country singer Zac Brown is defending his decision to perform the National Anthem at an upcoming UFC event on the White House lawn, saying the appearance is about honoring America and the military rather than taking a political side.
Brown discussed the performance Wednesday during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, where he said he is focused on patriotism and the nation’s 250th anniversary, not partisan politics.
“Man, I’m there for the troops, man. I’m there to honor America,” Brown said. “This is patriotism, not politics for me.”
Brown said he rejects the political division around the Trump Administration’s public celebrations of America’s 250th birthday and argued that honoring the country should not be treated as a partisan act.
“I mean, f**k all the division. I don’t believe in that,” he said. “I love this country. I love all the people that have sacrificed so that I can live my American dream and that everyone that lives here gets a chance to do that if they work hard and make the right decisions.”
The UFC event, scheduled for June 14, is expected to be the first major sporting event held on the White House lawn. Brown said the opportunity to participate in the historic setting makes the performance especially meaningful.
“I’m so excited for this weekend. And it’s history, man, getting to be part of American history,” Brown said. “Having the first sporting event that’s on the lawn of the White House. I mean, it’s an honor.”
Brown said approximately 8,000 active-duty service members are expected to attend the event. He is also scheduled to perform with the Marine Band.
“I’m honored that Dana [White’s] given me the opportunity to do this,” Brown said. “We’re going to be playing after the weigh-ins for the concert on Saturday and then getting to do the anthem for this with the Marine Band is going to be sick.”
Brown’s comments come as other artists have faced scrutiny over whether to participate in President Donald Trump’s America 250 celebrations.
Several performers, including Martina McBride and Bret Michaels, recently withdrew from the Freedom 250 concert series after saying they were misled about the event’s political associations.
Michaels said the event had been presented to him as a celebration of the country but later appeared more divisive than what he initially agreed to.
McBride similarly said she believed she was signing on to a nonpartisan celebration before deciding the event no longer aligned with that understanding.
Brown, on the other hand, emphasizes that performing the anthem at a White House event should be viewed through the lens of military appreciation, national history and respect for the country.
His remarks echo a broader argument made by critics of the artist withdrawals: that patriotic events marking America’s 250th birthday should not automatically become partisan battlegrounds simply because Trump is involved.
Supporters of Brown’s decision praised him for separating love of country from political disputes. Critics, however, may still view participation in a White House-hosted UFC event as an implicit endorsement of the administration.
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