🔶 Celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary; political tension, a heat wave, and low attendance Contrary to Trump’s slogan, “America is back,” many U.S. citizens deeply see their own country as divided into two sides on the 250th anniversary of its founding and independence from Great Britain. “National Mall” park in Washington, D.C., which is considered the historical center of the United States, is regarded by many Americans as a symbol of democratic ideals. Under normal conditions, tourists and city residents move around between the Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial in this area. But this summer, the region has been widely placed under security measures and has been closed. The Fourth of July celebrations, marking America’s founding day, are set to be held at this location with a “major U.S. state exhibition.” It was planned that all 56 U.S. states and territories would set up booths to showcase the history and cultural identity of the United States. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, today Saturday, July 4 (July 13), commemorated the 250th anniversary of America’s independence with a speech at Mount Rushmore. In his speech, he said that the United States is better than every country established so far, warning that “communism is a deadly threat to American freedom.” The U.S. president said the threat of communism is more dangerous than World War I, World War II, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and even the September 11 attacks. He added: “Now we are witnessing the revival of the threat of communism in our country; including from newly arrived people who have come into our country and support ideas that are completely at odds with our way of life and our great success.” Over the course of this week, Trump repeatedly launched attacks of this kind after last week four progressive candidates, including three Democratic socialists, won in a competitive Democratic Party primary election in New York City and on Tuesday in the state of Colorado. The progressive candidates also won in election contests in the states of Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Trump’s speech drew attention both for its venue—an national park that serves as a memorial to a number of the most prominent U.S. presidents—and because it departed from the usual unifying tone adopted in Independence Day speeches by Republican presidents such as Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. The organizers claimed it was a people’s celebration for the entire country. But even before it opened, the project was affected by the atmosphere of political polarization. Critics say the “major U.S. state exhibition” is increasingly just a stage for Donald Trump and his supporters to show themselves. Several musicians canceled their performances at the last moment. They said they had not been informed earlier about the political nature of the event. Eleven states, mainly run by Democrats, have officially boycotted the exhibition. Ten years ago, the U.S. Congress tasked the cross-party commission “America 250” with planning the celebrations for the anniversary of independence. But at the end of 2025, Trump issued an executive order creating a competing organization titled “Freedom 250.” Critics accuse this organization of turning the national day of America into a political tool, promoting a religious-nationalist interpretation of U.S. history, and deliberately ignoring the dark chapters of that history, including slavery.