WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump opened the nation’s 250th Independence Day commemoration at Mount Rushmore with exaltations of American exceptionalism before shifting into stark warnings about communism, calling it “a mortal threat to American liberty” and “the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11.”
Delivered at the national memorial that honors some of the country’s most prominent presidents, the speech stood in contrast to the typically apolitical, unifying addresses past presidents have given for major Independence Day observances. The tone and language recalled the Red Scare of the 1950s, when suspected communists were widely persecuted and blacklisted in industries from government to Hollywood.
In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani — a self-described democratic socialist — offered a different take on the anniversary, portraying America as a nation of contradictions “working each day towards the perfection in which it was conceived.” His remarks, which did not name the president, appeared aimed at countering divisive rhetoric and reasserting democratic ideals.
The president’s speech capped an Independence Day eve marked as much by a brutal heat wave as by political spectacle. Officials warned celebrants across the eastern U.S. to stay hydrated and seek air-conditioned breaks. Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade; the Great American State Fair in Washington paused operations in the early afternoon and later reopened; and the Capitol Fourth concert in Washington delayed opening its gates but went on with performers including Patti LaBelle and Trace Adkins, appearances by members of the Artemis II space mission, and fireworks planned over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. A Washington Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday was canceled.
On the National Mall, hundreds of people moved among fair tents and exhibits, snapping pictures of flyovers and trying to beat the heat with expensive concessions — $9 lemonades and $23 turkey legs were on offer. Some attendees were unapologetically partisan: Glenn Brooks, who was pardoned by Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, said he was “thankful to be participating in this grand event.”
The holiday’s main festivities continued into Saturday, when communities across the country planned fireworks, backyard cookouts and block parties. Trump was scheduled to speak again on the National Mall before what organizers billed as a historically large fireworks display.
Not everyone experienced the same weather: the Pacific Northwest enjoyed temperatures in the 60s and a few light showers. In Seattle, World Cup soccer fans prepared for the U.S.-Belgium match Monday, and suburban residents like Megan Kurowski, 31, planned low-key recreational options — she considered paddleboarding to watch local fireworks. Kurowski said she felt upbeat about the country’s 250th anniversary and noticed widespread excitement.
Observers said the milestone is prompting Americans to reflect on history while also highlighting deep political divisions.
Mamdani, in New York, referenced a common criticism lobbed by Trump about immigrants — that “when the world has sent its people to our shores, it has not sent its best” — and urged Americans to reach for the nation’s founding ideals to withstand authoritarian pressures.
Two groups have emerged to organize anniversary events: Freedom 250, aligned with the White House, and America250, a bipartisan organization created by Congress. Freedom 250 organized major activity in Washington, including the Great American State Fair, while America250 is coordinating ball drops in many cities and a concert in Los Angeles.
A recent Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found about four in 10 U.S. adults feel “proud” about the 250th anniversary; roughly three in 10 said they feel “excited.”
Individual reactions varied across the country. In Topeka, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano said Americans’ resilience, not politics, is what makes the nation “awesome,” and urged finding unity in laughter or perseverance — and keeping cool in the heat while manning a busy fireworks stand. Christina Zhou, a 25-year-old research assistant from Cambridge, Massachusetts, said she prefers to focus on local concerns she can influence. Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he hadn’t realized it was the 250th and planned to stay home with his wife and dogs to avoid fireworks; a Democrat, he expressed weariness about national politics and little hope for change.
Others found cause for optimism. At the National Archives in Washington, visitors toured the Rotunda to view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights while escaping the heat. Michael Dresdner, 60, who traveled from New Jersey with his wife and a bipartisan group of about two dozen people for America250 events, said the mix of political views in his group gave him hope for the future of American democracy. “We are all here, and we all love America,” he said.