President Donald Trump gestures at the conclusion of his speech during Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation's 250th anniversary. (Photo: AP)US President Donald Trump concluded his 40-minute speech by thanking the crowd for enduring the storms and declaring that America is entering a “golden age” with a destiny “written by God.” He closed his address with the traditional presidential refrain, “God Bless America.”
The United States is marking its 250th Independence Day with parades, fireworks and nationwide celebrations, but the anniversary has also highlighted deep political divisions over immigration, national identity and America’s future. President Donald Trump kicked off the celebrations with a speech at Mount Rushmore praising American exceptionalism while warning against what he called the threat of communism. At the same time, Pope Leo XIV spent July 4 on the Italian island of Lampedusa, urging the US and Europe to show greater compassion towards migrants.
Extreme heat has disrupted several America250 events, forcing organisers to cancel or delay parades and outdoor programmes in cities including Washington and Philadelphia, while the biggest fireworks displays, concerts and celebrations are still scheduled across the country. The contrast between Trump’s patriotic message and the pope’s appeal for migrants has added another political dimension to a milestone anniversary meant to celebrate America’s founding ideals.
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A 40-minute fireworks display lit up the skies over Washington, with the White House calling it the "greatest fireworks show in history".
"The greatest fireworks show in history to celebrate the greatest republic in the history of the world," The White House said in a post on X.
Happy 250th birthday, America. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/H5q1S9QHCv
— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) July 5, 2026
US President Donald Trump, on Saturday (Jul 5), declared that the United States is “the crowning achievement of human history” during his speech marking the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration on the National Mall.
“This country is the home of freedom,” Trump said.
He said that America was stronger than ever.
“We’re doing better now than we’ve ever done before,” he said. “No people have done more good, showed more courage, made more progress, righted more injustice or achieved more greatness than you, the American people.”
“For 250 years, the United States of America has been the hope, the promise, the light and the glory among all of the nations of the world,” Trump said.
President Donald Trump made a brief argument for the passage of his federal elections overhaul bill, the “SAVE America Act,” during his July Fourth speech at the National Mall, adding a touch of politics in remarks that mostly praised war veterans who fought to preserve the country.
“Today our country is winning again, and we’re winning like never before. America is back, and we want to keep America great, and we will do so by approving the SAVE America Act, which means all voters must show voter ID … all voters must provide a little thing called proof of citizenship,” Trump said about the legislation, which faces an uphill battle on Capitol Hill.
Trump's 40-minute speech has concluded with grandiose statements on America's future.
Upon closing, he remarks that "this only the dawn of the golden age of America" with its destiny "written by God".
He humorously references the "inconvenience" of the storms that rolled through, but thanks the crowd for their perseverance.
"God Bless America," he says, a refrain used by presidents of all stripes in the modern era.
Trump's 250th anniversary address is filled with some classic themes: commemorating American enterprise, condemning "communists" and talking up his achievements in office.
"The American dream is back," he tells a cheering crowd.
He says the military and police force are flooded with new recruits, meaning it is now "hard" to get a job in the field.
US President Donald Trump concluded his 40-minute speech by thanking the crowd for enduring the storms and said that America is entering a "golden age" with a destiny "written by God." He closed his address with the traditional presidential refrain, "God Bless America."
The president has paid tribute to veterans who stood in front of one of the oldest flags in the US – a revolutionary-era 1777 flag that he says was draped over George Washington's casket.
Among them were veterans from conflicts the US has been involved in over the past century: World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam war.
Retired US Army Capt Ken Schubring, a 104-year-old veteran who bore witness to Pearl Harbour was cheered by the crowd after being introduced by Trump.
Trump also gave a nod to retired US Army Col and Medal of Honor recipient Paris D. Davis, whose service spanned the Vietnam war.
The Brooklyn Bridge briefly caught fire during New York City's Independence Day fireworks show.
BREAKING: The Brooklyn Bridge briefly caught fire during New York City's Independence Day fireworks show.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 5, 2026
Video captured flames and thick smoke rising from multiple sections of the bridge as fireworks continued exploding overhead.
The fires were extinguished within about a… pic.twitter.com/9c6khKQaUP
Firework shows have begun in the US, with New York kicking off some of the nighttime festivities.
Earlier, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani flipped the switch to make the lights on the Empire State Building red, white and blue.
An evacuation was ordered Saturday evening at the National Mall as storms gathered around Washington just hours before President Donald Trump was scheduled to deliver a speech commemorating America's 250th anniversary of independence.
Those on the Mall were encouraged to go to federal buildings nearby or Smithsonian museums.
"Freedom 250 will share updates on programming and doors reopening," Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.
The people who were about to become United States citizens sat in folding chairs on George Washington's lawn at Mount Vernon on Saturday, 250 years after the Declaration of Independence.
The sun beat down and the well-dressed crowd was a flutter of paddle fans stamped with American flags. Their families clung to the shade of the trees on either side, where one woman had two American flags stuck through her ponytail.
"Well, good morning, everybody," said Anne Neal Petri, the regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.
"Good morning!" an excited crowd returned.
With patience wearing already thin from the 40C (104F) temperatures outside, the announcement that a metro station on the National Mall was temporarily closed brought groans and shouts of anger from patrons trapped inside.
Throngs of would-be spectators lined both sides of the subway platform and watched trains pass by - seemingly trapped and with the possibility of missing tonight’s festivities hanging in the air.
With patience wearing already thin from the 40C (104F) temperatures outside, the announcement that a metro station on the National Mall was temporarily closed brought groans and shouts of anger from patrons trapped inside.
Throngs of would-be spectators lined both sides of the subway platform and watched trains pass by - seemingly trapped and with the possibility of missing tonight’s festivities hanging in the air.
Former US President Joe Biden on Saturday honoured the 250th Anniversary of America's independence by writing on social media: "Two hundred and fifty years ago, a group of Americans signed their names to a piece of parchment and made a promise no nation had ever made before: that we’re all created equal, endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."The Democrat leader further added, "We chose that path 250 years ago but that’s where the work began, not where it ended. Every generation has had to choose it again. At Valley Forge, at Gettysburg, on the beaches of Normandy, in the streets of Selma."
US Vice President JD Vance on Saturday called on the Americans to reject the views that is focused on American sins and said that detractors today will "speak of the powerless and the dispossessed. They will tell you that America is just another country where the weak struggle against the strong.""They're wrong, they misunderstand that we all have moments of great power, despite those very real imperfections, that there are victims and heroes who live inside of each of us," the US Vice President added.
Pope Leo XIV, who has sparred with President Donald Trump's administration over its immigration crackdown, spent the Fourth of July on Saturday in the epicentre of Europe’s migration debate to honour the thousands of people who have died trying to reach Europe to find freedom and prosperity, AP reported.
The US Embassy in Delhi on Saturday shared a special video on the 250th anniversary of America's independence, featuring former NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, musician AR Rahman, and several other eminent Indian personalities, who extended their wishes on the milestone, PTI reported.
250 years. Countless stories. One enduring spirit. Join us as celebrated voices share what American excellence means to them as the United States marks its 250th year. Their reflections highlight the ideas, achievements, and optimism that continue to shape the American story.… pic.twitter.com/sLVq82o2gk
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) July 4, 2026
Pope Leo XIV, who has sparred with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown, spent the Fourth of July on Saturday in the epicenter of Europe’s migration debate to honor the tens of thousands of people who have died trying to reach Europe to find freedom and prosperity.
While the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with rallies, parties and fireworks, history’s first U.S.-born pope traveled to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to pray at a migrant cemetery and celebrate a solemn Mass for the island's residents and newest arrivals.
A treeless strip of rock 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) long, Lampedusa is closer to Africa than the Italian mainland and is the main port of entry into Europe for hundreds of thousands of migrants who crossed by boat from Libya or Tunisia, often smuggled by human traffickers.Leo met with some migrants at the port and then walked alone onto the jagged jetty rocks, the wind whipping his cassock and blowing his zucchetto skullcap off as he looked out to the sea. He then blessed a plaque dedicating the dock to Pope Francis, who visited in 2013, before celebrating Mass on land.“This is a place where gestures speak louder than words,” Leo said. AP
"There's nothing guaranteed about our democracy. We have to fight for it, defend it, and earn it," former US President Joe Biden said in a post on X to mark the 250th year of American Independece.
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsTwo hundred and fifty years ago, a group of Americans signed their names to a piece of parchment and made a promise no nation had ever made before: that we're all created equal, endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 4, 2026
We're… pic.twitter.com/5AZsSORlUi
Freedom is more than a constitutional principle. Individual Liberty is the foundation that lets one create, build businesses, challenge convention, and pursue ideas without fear. Self-determination inspires different thinking. It’s the same free will our founders fought for in 1776 – and the same natural rights America protects today. Happy 250th birthday, USA! — Melania Trump
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsFreedom is more than a constitutional principle.
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) July 4, 2026
Individual Liberty is the foundation that lets one create, build businesses, challenge convention, and pursue ideas without fear.
Self-determination inspires different thinking.
It’s the same free will our founders… pic.twitter.com/FgOM4jK3ve
During the celebrations to mark the 250th year of Independence, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a post on X said, "New York, this dangerous heat wave isn’t over. Remember to stay hydrated this holiday weekend and plan ahead before celebrating outside."
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsNew York, this dangerous heat wave isn’t over. Remember to stay hydrated this holiday weekend and plan ahead before celebrating outside.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 4, 2026
Before you leave home:
✓ Find a cooling center or cool place near you or your destination: https://t.co/B0DWoVpTzh
✓ Bring water with you.…
In a post on X, the US Interior Department said, "Happy Independence Day, America! What a day to be an American. 250 years of the greatest nation on Earth."
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsHappy Independence Day, America! 🇺🇸
— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) July 4, 2026
What a day to be an American. 250 years of the greatest nation on Earth. pic.twitter.com/ow0NddjePF
Prime Mininster Narendra Modi on Saturday wished US President Donald Trump on the ocassion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence. He also said, "May the next 250 years bring even greater prosperity, peace and progress for America and take the India-US partnership to new heights."
https://platform.x.com/widgets.jsOn behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my warmest congratulations to President Trump and the people of the United States on the historic 250th anniversary of your Independence.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2026
India and the United States share more than a strategic partnership. Our shared belief in…
After months of fanfare, the Trump administration will launch its flagship cradle-to-adulthood investment program, Trump Accounts, on Saturday, as the United States begins celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of its independence.
Trump Accounts is central to the administration's push to promote investing and financial literacy from an early age.
The program will provide U.S. citizens born between 2025 and 2028 a government-funded investment account of $1,000 that families can build on, adding a new savings vehicle to a raft of other tax-efficient college savings plans and retirement accounts. Reuters
During his speech to mark the 250th anniversary of America, Donald Trump briefly addressed the conflict with Iran near the end of his remarks, suggesting Tehran is eager to reach a peace settlement. He referenced a pause given to Iran tied to a funeral for a senior Iranian general, framing the gesture as a show of goodwill from Washington.
Read full report here
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday extended wishes to US President Donald Trump as the country marks its 250th anniversary of independence.
Putin recalled how Russia had extended its unequivocal support to the North American colonists in their struggle for freedom from British rule.
Terming it a "landmark event" in world history, the Russian President said that in the course of two and a half centuries, many significant pages have been written in the history of relations between the two nations.
"The signing of the United States Declaration of Independence not only heralded the birth of your nation but also constituted a landmark event in world history," his message shared by the Russian ministry of Foreign Affairs in a post on Telegram said. ANI
US President Donald Trump used America’s 250th anniversary celebrations to warn that communism poses a greater threat to the country than World War II or 9/11, while insisting the US was entering a new “golden age”. Trump opened at just after 8:30 a.m. IST by casting the United States as unmatched in history, calling it the most accomplished and exceptional nation ever to exist.
Read full article here
US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time), on the eve of the nation's 250th anniversary, paid tribute to the "American giants" carved into the Black Hills of Mount Rushmore.
Addressing a patriotic crowd on the eve of America's 250th Independence Day, the President anchored his vision for the nation's future in the legacy of four of his most influential predecessors: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.
"We salute the father of our country, George Washington. The author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. The great emancipator and savior of our union, Abraham Lincoln. And the man who built America into a global superpower, Theodore Roosevelt," President Trump stated.
Framing the quartet as "men of action, ambition, daring, and destiny," the President argued that their leadership established a standard of greatness that continues to drive the American character. ANI
Past US presidents have steered clear of the celebration, but Donald Trump has blurred the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics.
A nonpartisan body set up in 2016 to handle the 250th anniversary has been largely sidelined by the Trump administration's Freedom 250 group, which has fenced off much of the 1.5-mile National Mall for a "Great American State Fair" that features attractions such as a Ferris wheel alongside displays by conservative groups and defense contractors. Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump marks the country's 250th anniversary on Saturday with a political rally on a fenced-off National Mall in Washington, capping a weeks-long celebration that has been widely criticized as divisive.
Across the United States, Americans plan to celebrate the patriotic holiday with fireworks and parades. Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence from Britain was signed 250 years ago on July 4, 1776, will offer free cupcakes and a six-hour pop-music concert, while New York will feature tall ships from around the world. In the nation's capital, Trump will place himself at the center of the celebration.
The president has billed his evening appearance among the city's iconic monuments as "the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all," accompanied by military flyovers and a super-sized fireworks display. Reuters
For the first time ever, the Times Square ball will drop on a date other than New Year’s Eve as part of America250’s semiquincentennial celebrations. The updated Constellation Ball will drop eight times on July 3-4 to mark midnight across every US time zone and inhabited territory, starting in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and ending in American Samoa.
America250 Chair Rosie Rios said the rolling countdown is “more than a countdown. It’s a moment that brings the entire country together, one time zone at a time”.
Donald Trump concluded his remarks after about 30 minutes.
"Tomorrow, we reach a milestone like no other and celebrate with hearts and soaring spirits," Trump said, "because after two and a half centuries, we know that this is not an ending, this is only the beginning of the golden age of America."
Trump said the US has the strongest military in the world. He said it won both World Wars and the Cold War, and left America's enemies badly beaten. He said the US beat Venezuela in just one day and hit Iran hard. He said Iran now badly wants to make a deal. He joked that the US gave Iran "a week off for the funeral."
Echoing a point he's made a lot recently, Trump brought up communists, a label he's applied to multiple Democrats running for election in 2026.
"There is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country, who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success," Trump said.
(Photo: AP)
US President Trump used his Mount Rushmore address to argue that American liberty has endured for 250 years not because of founding documents alone, but because of the character of the people who defended it.
He said there has been a deliberate effort in recent years to erode that "exceptional character" and disconnect Americans from their history, vowing that "we're going to give our country its identity back." Trump added that while people don't have to be born in America, they "must love our country" and what it has built.
The president took the stage at Mount Rushmore.
"Tonight we gather on the eve of one of the most extraordinary days in the history of the world. Tomorrow we mark 250 years of glorious independence, and 250 years of majestic American freedom. Nothing like it," he said.
As forecast by press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump began by focusing on America's strength, calling it the "most powerful country on earth."
"By the grace of God, the United States of America is the most successful, most accomplished, most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history, and it is great to be your president," he said.
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden, a Republican, is speaking in front of Mount Rushmore now to introduce Trump.
After landing in South Dakota and heading to the venue, President Trump is set to deliver a 30-minute address at Mount Rushmore tonight that, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, will strike an “optimistic, inspiring tone” while answering “What does it mean to be an American?” Leavitt said the prepared remarks also push back against Communism and highlight the principles that make America “the greatest country in the history of the world.” Speaking to reporters on the flight from Washington, she added that Trump is likely to remain for the fireworks show.
Organizers canceled the America’s Independence Day Parade, set for July 4, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. ET, citing extreme heat in the DC area.
The National Weather Service issued an Extreme Heat Warning for the District of Columbia, forecasting heat index values of 43°C to 46°C. Organizers said the decision followed extensive review, with the safety of participants, spectators, and staff as the top priority.
July 4, 2026, marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The Declaration, drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Continental Congress, announced that the American colonies were breaking away from British rule, creating what would eventually become the United States of America. The anniversary is officially known as the US Semiquincentennial, although America250 has become the public-facing name for the nationwide celebrations.
US President Trump flew the newly unveiled Air Force One over Mount Rushmore twice, showing the crowd the Boeing 747 reportedly gifted by the Qatari government and valued at $400 million before US refitting.
The plane, revealed last month with a darker red, white, and blue paint scheme, is slated to lead flyovers on the National Mall tomorrow for July Fourth celebrations.
New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani gave a speech on Friday to mark 250 years of the United States. He spoke from behind a desk once used by George Washington. Naturalised citizens stood around him as he spoke about the waves of immigrants who built the city over time. Read more
Celebrations have been underway since 2025 and will continue through the end of 2026, combining public events, educational programmes, exhibitions and government-led initiatives. Beyond the festivities, the anniversary has also renewed conversations in the US about history, national identity and how the country’s founding ideals should be understood today. Read more
fter pausing for over two hours, the pre-program at Freedom 250’s Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore has resumed.
It continues to drizzle. Within the first few moments of the first speaker's returning to the stage, thunder was audible.
Trump is still in the air, heading here.
As the United States prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4, 2026, one unusual word has become almost as widely discussed as the milestone itself: “Semiquincentennial”. The formal name for America’s 250th birthday has puzzled many Americans, prompting confusion, jokes and a search for simpler alternatives.
On July 4, 2026, the United States turns 250. The milestone, formally called the Semiquincentennial, is being marked with the most ambitious nationwide celebration since the 1976 Bicentennial, spanning all 50 states, dozens of cities, and a full calendar year of events.
Millions of visitors are expected to travel across the United States for the once-in-a-generation celebrations, with major events ranging from Tall Ships and military parades to concerts, fireworks and historical reenactments. Read more
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