President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota, July 3, 2026. President Trump kicked off the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebrations with a rally and fireworks show at Mount Rushmore.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images
President Donald Trump ushered in the 250th anniversary of America’s independence Friday with soaring rhetoric about American exceptionalism, before turning to a dark political speech warning of the sinister threat of communism, which has conjured up the nation’s ugliest chapter.
“Communism is a deadly threat to American freedom,” he said from Mount Rushmore. “This is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, and even 9/11.”
The language was similar to several other speeches Trump has given in recent days, but was notable because it took place in a national park that commemorates some of America’s most prominent presidents. And it was a departure from the typically apolitical, pro-unity speeches given at previous high-profile Independence Day celebrations by presidents like Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.
In fact, Trump’s language evoked the Red Scares of the 1950s, when alleged communists were persecuted and blacklisted across America, from Washington to Hollywood.
In New York City, Mayor Zoran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, gave a speech in which he described the United States as a nation of contradictions and “striving every day to achieve its original perfection.”
The president’s speech capped off the eve of Independence Day, which drew the most attention from an intense heatwave that hit much of the country’s east. Officials warned people celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks if necessary.
Philadelphia canceled its Independence Salute Parade on Friday. The Great American State Fair in Washington closed in the early afternoon and reopened at 5 p.m. The Capitol Fourth Concert, the highlight of the Washington holiday, opened a little later than usual, but ended up going ahead with appearances by Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins, members of the Artemis II Mission, and a fireworks display over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The Fourth of July parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington has been canceled.
looking for a place to cool down
By early Friday afternoon in Washington, hundreds of people were roaming the grounds of the National Mall, home of the Great American State Fair. They took photos of the viaduct and tried to cool off in tents serving $9 lemonade and $23 turkey legs. Many were dressed in patriotic colors, their faces glistening with sweat.
Visitors wait to enter the Great American State Fair on the National Mall in Washington, DC on July 3, 2026, after the Great American State Fair was temporarily closed due to heat.
Cheney Orr | Reuters
Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, said he was “grateful to be a part of this epic event.”
The activities will culminate in Saturday’s main event, where fireworks will be set off in communities across the country, along with backyard barbecues and block parties. President Trump is scheduled to give another speech on the National Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically large fireworks show.
While the rest of the country suffered from stifling heat, the Pacific Northwest saw temperatures in the 60s and some light rain.
World Cup soccer fans in Seattle stayed calm Friday, excited for Monday’s big game between the United States and Belgium. Megan Kurowski, 31, from near Issaquah, took her two dogs to the dog park to get some exercise before going to work.
Kurowski said he is feeling positive about America’s 250th anniversary and plans to go paddle boarding and watch fireworks.
“Apparently everyone is pretty excited to celebrate the 250th anniversary,” she said.
This holiday unfolds at a unique time in the United States The anniversary served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding us of our current political polarization.
A holiday of unity, but an undercurrent of division
In New York, Mamdani, a Democrat, did not mention Trump by name, but parts of his speech appeared to be aimed at the president’s divisive comments.
“We’ve been told for generations that when the world sends its people to our country, it doesn’t send its best,” Mamdani said, apparently referring to a general criticism of President Trump. “These ideals on which our nation was built are strong enough to withstand any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”
Freedom 250, an organization affiliated with the White House, has come into competition with America 250, a bipartisan group created by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has hosted many of the activities in Washington, including the Great American State Fair. America 250 is sponsoring ball drops in a number of cities, including New York, and will host a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.
About four in 10 American adults feel “proud” of the nation’s 250th anniversary, according to an April poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Roughly three in 10 people describe their feelings as “excited.”
People gather outside Independence Hall after news that the Independence Day Salute Parade has been canceled due to extreme heat in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 3, 2026. The long-awaited parade celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary has been canceled due to an extreme heat wave that brought dangerous triple-digit temperatures to much of the eastern United States.
Spencer Pratt | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Ahead of the holidays, Joe Fuqua-Bejarano, an automotive engineer from Topeka, Kansas, reveals “what makes us great” as humans. In his view, it’s clearly not politics, but rather resilience.
“We all have to find unity somewhere, whether it’s laughter or patience, and keep everyone calm,” he said from the stands at a fireworks show that is booming on the sideline.
Christina Chow, 25, a research assistant from Cambridge, Massachusetts, said she aims to “just think about what’s happening locally.”
“It feels like it’s within our own personal control,” she said.
Jerry Chin, of Newcastle, Washington, said he didn’t know the United States was celebrating its 250th anniversary, so he intended to keep the holiday low-key. He and his wife usually skip the fireworks and instead stay home with their scared dog to keep her calm.
“America is a great place, but there are some concerns,” he said. Chin, 55, and his wife are concerned about medical and health care issues, but they also stress politics.
“We’re Democrats, so in a way we kind of gave up hope,” he said. “Feel like that’s the way it is. I don’t know if it’s going to change.”
At the National Archives in Washington, visitors admired the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, passing through the rotunda to escape the heat outside.
Michael Dresner, 60, traveled from West Orange, New Jersey, with his wife Cindy, 57, and about 20 other people to attend the 250th anniversary celebrations. He said their group of travelers includes people from both sides of the political aisle, which gives him hope for the future of American democracy.
“We’re all here and we all love America,” he said.
