POISON drummer Rikki Rockett has expressed support for his bandmate Bret Michaels' decision to withdraw from the Freedom 250 event, a celebration marking America's 250th anniversary.

In a social media post, Rikki stated that he supports Michaels' decision to pull out of the festival, which was initially pitched as a patriotic music event but has since become increasingly divisive and raised safety concerns.

Rockett notes that while he disagrees with Michaels on many fronts, they respect each other's artistic abilities and accomplishments.

Michaels became the fifth artist to withdraw from the festival, citing concerns for fan safety and unfounded threats.

The Freedom 250 event is set to take place June 25 to July 10 on Washington's National Mall.