Trump launches Independence Day celebrations at Mount Rushmore amid heat wave and protests
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9 days · 5 summary articles
As sweltering heat waves grip the eastern United States, President Donald Trump on Friday night launched the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebrations at Mount Rushmore with a speech that framed domestic “radicals and extremists” as existential threats to American identity and declared communism the country’s “mortal enemy.”
Speaking under a storm warning in temperatures forecast to reach 100°F (38°C), Trump told a crowd of supporters that “our American ancestors did not shed their blood… just so that a band of thieves, radicals, and lunatics could come in loot, pillage our nation.” The address, broadcast live, marked the official start of competing July 4 observances: Trump’s “Freedom 250” spectacle in Washington, featuring a record 850,000 fireworks, and the congressionally led “America 250” events, which critics say have been overshadowed by the president’s nationalist pageantry.
The dual celebrations underscore a nation deeply divided on the meaning of its founding ideals. While Trump’s event emphasized unity through strength—“We are the strongest and most powerful country on Earth,” he declared —opposition figures and historians framed the anniversary as a moment of reckoning. In Paris, *Le Monde* described the day as “a bitter anniversary,” noting protests from the “No Kings” movement against Trump’s “authoritarianism” and the erosion of the American Dream.
The heat wave, described as “historic” by French outlet *Courrier International*, disrupted outdoor festivities across multiple states, with emergency services warning of heatstroke risks. Meanwhile, Trump’s financial disclosures, filed Thursday, revealed $1.2 billion in earnings from a cryptocurrency venture and $635 million in royalties from the $TRUMP meme coin, which crashed hours after the filing.
Across Europe, commentators debated whether the celebrations reflected American resilience or decline. *The Guardian*’s *Politics Weekly America* podcast called Trump’s role a “hijacking” of the national narrative, while *El País*’s editorial asked whether the ideals of Thomas Jefferson—“all men are created equal”—remain viable after 250 years of systemic contradictions. Pope Francis, marking the occasion, urged the U.S. to recommit to its “founding ideas of protecting life and human dignity,” implicitly critiquing Trump’s immigration policies.
As fireworks lit up skies from New York to Los Angeles, the juxtaposition of spectacle and strife captured a nation at once celebrating its past and questioning its future.
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Articles
Trump, il 4 luglio come un comizio: Identità Usa sotto attacco, non saremo mai un Paese comunista Il discorso del presidente a Mount Rushmore per il duecentocinquantesimo compleanno degli Stati Uniti. Le accuse a radicali e estremisti interni
corriere · about 3 hours ago
Trump: Amerikansk identitet utsatt för ny attack Donald Trump gick i ett tal inför USA:s 250-årsdag till hårt angrepp mot vad han menar är nya hot mot USA:s identitet. Han kritiserade även inhemska radikaler och extremister.
svenska dagbladet · about 3 hours ago
Extreme heat bears down as America 250 celebrations ramp up. Trump heads to Mount Rushmore Festivities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence ramped up across the United States on Friday as demonstrations of national pride — and hints of political polarization —…
japantoday · about 3 hours ago
Trump calls communism a mortal threat at US 250th birthday event
aljazeera · about 3 hours ago
Radikale og ekstremister truer USAs identitet, sier Trump Kvelden før USAs 250-årsjubileum sier president Donald Trump sier at landets identitet er under angrep fra innenlandske…
aftenposten · about 3 hours ago
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday
independent · about 3 hours ago
Podcast „Auf den Punkt: 250 Jahre USA: Noch ist nicht alles verloren Am 4. Juli feiern die USA das Jubiläum ihrer Unabhängigkeit. Welchen Platz nimmt der aktuelle Präsident Trump in dieser Geschichte ein?
sueddeutsche · about 3 hours ago
Trump lance les célébrations du 250e anniversaire des États-Unis, perturbées par une vague de chaleur historique Donald Trump a lancé vendredi soir les célébrations du 250e anniversaire des États-Unis au pied de lemblématique Mont Rushmore, alors quune vague de chaleur historique sest abattue depuis plusieurs jours sur lest du pays, perturbant les festivités.
courrier international · about 4 hours ago
Magafest och rekordfyrverkerier när USA firar 250 år Patriotism, guldglans och jättemonument. USA:s 250-årsdag den 4 juli närmar sig och med den ett firande som inte liknar något annat, hävdar Donald Trump.– Jag har lovat USA den mest spektakulära födelsedagsfesten, säger presidenten.
svenska dagbladet · about 4 hours ago
Trump uses Mount Rushmore speech to warn of communist menace in US President kicked off 250th anniversary events with a preview of a likely line of attack against Democrats in coming elections
financial times · about 4 hours ago
⚡ NEWSTrump pardons Clean Air Act violators and Abramoff associatePresident Donald Trump granted pardons to nine individuals convicted of violating the Clean Air Act and one associate of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, raising concerns about environmental enforcement and political influence.📰 #Geopolitics #GeoWire
mastodon bot · about 4 hours ago
US President Donald Trump lashed out Friday at what he called a fresh threat against the countrys identity, taking aim at domestic "radicals and extremists" on the eve of Americas 250th birthday. u.afp.com/SKQr
bluesky_AFP English · about 4 hours ago
Congressman Jamie Raskin: The Founding Fathers would not have understood Trumps immigration policy The leading Democratic figure is not only one of the presidents great opponents in Washington, he is also an expert on Thomas Paine. On occasion of the 250 anniversary celebrations, he speaks about the enduring relevance of the author of Common Sense, a key document in the Declaration of Independence
elpais · about 4 hours ago
A bitter anniversary: The American ideal turns 250 amid turmoil The United States is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence on July 4. It does so amidst protests from the No Kings movement, which rallies against Trumps authoritarianism. The ideals of Thomas Jefferson – one of the Founding Fathers – look worse for wear on a date marked by the governments rewriting of history and by doubts about what remains of the American Dream
elpais · about 4 hours ago
Es gibt ein Amerika, das ein "Happy Birthday" verdient Die Trump-Präsidentschaft repräsentiert viele der dunkelsten Seiten der USA. Von früheren Tiefpunkten in der Geschichte haben sie sich erholt
der standard · about 4 hours ago
USA unter Trump: Trump in Mount Rushmore: „Wir sind das stärkste und erfolgreichste Land, das jemals existiert hat Liveticker zur US-Politik unter Donald Trump / Trump soll republikanischen Senator angeschrien haben / Jetzt lesen im Liveticker der FAZ
faz · about 4 hours ago
July 4 live: Trump slams communism and promotes his success from Mount Rushmore as he talks Americas 250th birthday We are the strongest and most powerful country on Earth, Trump declared from Mount Rushmore
independent · about 5 hours ago
NOW - Trump: "There is no American freedom without American culture. And there is no American founding without the American people." @disclosetv
telegram_Disclose.tv · about 5 hours ago
+++ USA +++: US-Gericht – Regierung darf Migranten nicht unbegrenzt ohne Anhörung festhalten US-Einwanderungsbehörde verzeichnet 10.000 Festnahmen in fünf Tagen +++ Gedenken an Sklaverei: US-Gericht stärkt Regierung den Rücken +++ Trump verteidigt Milliardeneinnahmen während seiner Amtszeit +++ Der Newsblog.
handelsblatt · about 5 hours ago
Pope urges US to recommit to tradition of welcoming migrants on nations 250th anniversary On the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, historys first US-born pope focused on Americas tradition of welcoming migrants, whom he referred to as part of the noble vision of the Founding Fathers.
le monde · about 6 hours ago
Zum 250. Geburtstag der USA: Mamdani kritisiert indirekt Einwanderungspolitik von Trump Die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika werden 250 Jahre alt. US-Präsident Trump hat dazu große Reden angekündigt. New Yorks Bürgermeister kommt ihm zuvor.
tagesspiegel · about 6 hours ago
July 4 live: Trump lands at Mount Rushmore to deliver speech, where hed like to see his own face President Donald Trump set to headline Americas 250th anniversary bash in nations capital as US celebrates milestone Fourth of July
independent · about 7 hours ago
Fotografii din interiorul noului Air Force One arată cărți false cu titluri fără sens. Controverse după primul zbor al lui Donald Trump Chiar la scurt timp după primul său zbor, noul Air Force One al lui Donald Trump stârnește controverse. Fotografiile din interiorul aeronavei arată niște cărți false cu titluri fără sens. Imaginile au fost distribuite pe X de purtătoarea de cuvânt a președintelui, Karoline Leavitt, scrie focus.de.
digi24 · about 7 hours ago
Trumps new take on 250 years of American expansionism
gdeltproject.org · about 7 hours ago
Trump to kick off independence celebrations as heatwave grips US President will speak at Mount Rushmore under a storm warning as high temperatures threaten 250th anniversary events
financial times · about 8 hours ago
Expert: Trumps affärer skulle fälla vilken annan president som helst Donald Trumps förmögenhet sköt i höjden under hans första år som president. Enligt den 927 sidor långa rapporten om hans finanser har presidenten tjänat över 20 miljarder svenska kronor det senaste året – framför allt på kryptovaluta. – Han är gammal, grinig och mer skamlös än någonsin, säger USA-experten Andreas Utterström.
dagens nyheter · about 8 hours ago
Zum Geburtstag am 4th of July: Ein gespaltenes Land feiert mit zwei Partys [premium] Das „Freedom 250-Projekt des Weißen Hauses unter Donald Trump verspricht das größte Feuerwerk aller Zeiten. Es konkurriert mit dem „America 250-Projekt des Kongresses mit einer Demokratin an der Spitze.
die presse · about 9 hours ago
Martin Rowson on Donald Trump and 250 years of US independence – cartoon
bluesky_The Guardian · about 9 hours ago
July 4 live: Trump heads for Mount Rushmore after severe heat shuts down his state fair President Donald Trump set to headline Americas 250th anniversary bash in nations capital as US celebrates milestone Fourth of July
independent · about 9 hours ago
Pope Leo, Mamdani send pro-immigrant message for USs 250th anniversary Influential figures deliver speeches evoking US ideals to counter President Trumps hardline immigration policies.
aljazeera · about 9 hours ago