President Trump gestures after speaking at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, July 3, 2026, near Keystone, SD.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump ushered in the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on Friday with soaring rhetoric about American exceptionalism before veering into a dark political speech with warnings about a sinister threat from communism that evoked one of the country’s ugliest chapters.
“Communism is a deadly threat to American freedom,” he said from Mount Rushmore. “It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11.”
While the language was similar to several other speeches Trump has given in recent days, it was notable for being delivered in a national park that commemorates some of America’s most prominent presidents. And he deviated from the typically apolitical and unifying speeches that previous presidents like Gerald Ford or Ronald Reagan have given during previous high-profile Independence Day celebrations.
Indeed, Trump’s language evoked the Red Scare of the 1950s, when suspected communists were persecuted and blacklisted across the United States, from Washington to Hollywood.
In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, gave his own speech in which he presented the United States as a nation of contradictions “working every day toward the perfection of which it was conceived.”
The president’s speech capped an Independence Day eve that was otherwise most notable for a brutal heat wave that hit much of the eastern part of the country. Authorities have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed.
Philadelphia canceled its Independence Day parade on Friday. The Great American State Fair in Washington closed early in the afternoon before reopening at 5 p.m. The Capitol Fourth concert, a mainstay of the holiday in Washington, opened a little later than usual but ultimately went ahead with appearances by Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins, members of the Artemis II space mission and fireworks over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. An Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington was canceled.
Looking for a place to cool off
Early Friday afternoon in Washington, hundreds of people milled around the grounds of the National Mall, home of the Great American State Fair. They took photos of overpasses and tried to cool off inside tents offering $9 lemonades and $23 turkey legs. Many were dressed in patriotic colors and their faces glistened with sweat.
Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, said he was “grateful to participate in this great event.”
The activity culminates with Saturday’s main event, when fireworks will explode in communities across the United States, along with cookouts and block parties. Trump will deliver another speech on Washington’s National Mall ahead of what is billed as a historically massive fireworks display.
While the rest of the country struggled under increasing heat, the Pacific Northwest enjoyed temperatures as high as 60 degrees, even with some light rain.
World Cup soccer fans in Seattle stayed quiet Friday as they prepared for Monday’s big game between the United States and Belgium. In the nearby suburb of Issaquah, Megan Kurowski, 31, took her two dogs to the dog park so they could get some exercise before going to work.
Kurowski said she was feeling positive about America’s 250th birthday and was planning a possible paddle board to watch the fireworks.
“Everyone, it seems, is very excited to celebrate 250 years,” he said.
The holiday takes place at a unique time in the U.S. The anniversary has served as an opportunity for the country to reflect on its history while also reminding it of the political polarization of the time.
In a holiday of unity, there is an undercurrent of division
In New York, Mamdani, a Democrat, did not mention Trump by name, but parts of his speech seemed aimed at the president’s divisive rhetoric.
“Generation after generation, we’ve been told that when the world sent its people to our shores, it didn’t send its best,” Mamdani said in an apparent reference to a common criticism of Trump. “Those ideals upon which our nation was built are strong enough to withstand any authoritarian regime, but only if we achieve them.”
Freedom 250, a White House-aligned organization, has come to rival America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago. Freedom 250 has organized much of the activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair. America250 is behind the dance launches taking place in many cities, including New York, and will perform a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.
About 4 in 10 American adults feel “proud” of the country’s 250th anniversary, according to an April poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About 3 in 10 said “excited” describes their emotions.
Before the holidays, automotive technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano in Topeka, Kansas, assessed “what makes us awesome” as a town. In his opinion, it is clearly not about politics, but about resilience.
“We all have to find unity somewhere, whether it’s laughter or perseverance, and keep everyone calm,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a thriving business as a sideline.
Christina Zhou, a 25-year-old research assistant from Cambridge, Massachusetts, said her goal would be to “just think about things that are happening locally.”
“It feels a little more like it’s within our personal control,” he said.
Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he didn’t know the United States was celebrating its 250th anniversary and planned to remain low-key during the holiday. He and his wife usually skip the fireworks and instead stay home with their fearful dogs to keep them calm.
“The United States is a great place, but there are some concerns,” he said. Chin, 55, and his wife care about healthcare and health-related issues, but they also care about politics.
“We’re Democrats, so we’ve lost hope,” he said. “I just feel like it is. I don’t know if there could be a change.”
At the National Archives in Washington, visitors toured the Rotunda to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights…and escape the heat outside.
Michael Dresdner, 60, traveled from West Orange, New Jersey, with his wife, Cindi, 57, and about two dozen others to be part of the America 250 celebrations. He said his group of travelers included people from both sides of the political aisle, and that’s what gave him hope for the future of American democracy.
“We’re all here and we all love America,” he said.