Former Northern Kentucky attorney Eric Deters is canceling this year’s edition of Freedom Fest, which was slated to feature former President Donald Trump, Deters said on Saturday.
Freedom Fest is an annual political event at Deters’ farm in Morning View, Kentucky, where he brings in national political figures; last year’s event included Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.Â
The third iteration of the event was scheduled for Sept. 9.
Deters said he wanted to make the cancellation announcement immediately because there would be people in attendance from all over the country and he wanted to extend the courtesy to allow them to cancel their plans.
“I have a little disappointing news,” Deters said on Saturday via a Facebook feed video. “I have decided to cancel. I actually got a confirmation that he was going to come. However, as is with President Trump’s schedule, it’s subject to change.”
Trump was slated to fly to the University of Iowa-Iowa State University football game on Sept. 9, then attend the Freedom Fest event on his way home to Florida, but Deters said that has changed.
“That was the plan,” Deters said. “And what’s changed is the president is now going to stay in Iowa and attend some events in Iowa, including staying overnight in Iowa.”
During the Facebook video announcement Deters thanked the Trump campaign leadership for efforts to have Trump commit to attending Freedom Fest and pledged continued endorsement in the wake of the pivot.
“The reason why it’s changed is because the president wants to win Iowa,” Deters said. “He wins Iowa, it’s over. So why not focus on Iowa. I totally get that. I’m team Trump. I support President Trump 1000 percent all the way.”
There were individuals who purchased $5,000 VIP event tickets based on Trump attending the Freedom Fest event; 50,000 attendees were anticipated this year; and the plan is to conduct next year’s Freedom Fest amid the presidential race, Deters said.Â
“Ohio is important to President Trump, so maybe we can pull it off, I don’t know,” Deters said.
Trump isn’t the first announced speaker to cancel his appearance at Freedom Fest – Kentucky Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron had already backed out of the event in July after Rep. Thomas Massie questioned his attendance.
