Trump’s Fourth of July address marks 250 years
President Donald Trump on July 4 delivered a speech in Washington, D.C., marking the nation’s 250th birthday, an address that was delayed by more than an hour because of the threat of severe weather after attendees contended with the hottest Independence Day the capital has experienced, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“For 250 years, the United States has been the hope, the promise, the light and the glory among all of the nations in the world; all over the world…nobody can be like us,” Trump said, as reported by The Journal.
The celebration followed weeks of events marking the semiquincentennial. As MSI previously reported, two rival planning organizations — the congressionally-established America250 and the Trump-created Freedom250 — offered competing planning efforts for the milestone, reflecting broader tensions over the role of Trump in the celebration. Artists withdrew from White House-affiliated events, and critics raised concerns over the politicization of a celebration intended to unite the nation.
The July 4 festivities came after a week of events including the Great American State Fair on the National Mall and a fireworks display expected to break the world record. The Times Square ball drop was also reactivated for the holiday, with drops timed to midnight across all eight U.S. time zones, according to Scripps News.