{"id":5107,"date":"2026-07-05T12:47:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T12:47:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/07\/05\/trump-hails-golden-age-of-america-in-speech-marking-nations-250th-anniversary\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T12:47:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T12:47:14","slug":"trump-hails-golden-age-of-america-in-speech-marking-nations-250th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=5107","title":{"rendered":"Trump hails \u2018golden age of America\u2019 in speech marking nation\u2019s 250th anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-t7og0p\">\n<div class=\"dcr-17l77cs\">\n<figure id=\"0afb72f7-26bd-40e9-a970-b6073b935b02\" class=\"dcr-191xnya\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"US President Donald Trump speaks during Fourth of July celebrations\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4ad77405bb6a193f15057144ce342e9245299bf4\/0_0_5347_3565\/master\/5347.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310.0289882176922\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><span class=\"dcr-kogzpx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-18mnkpm\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1294qmb\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-4sl2vt\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1mfxiaj\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">US president Donald Trump speaks during the celebrations on the National Mall on 4 July in Washington, DC.<\/span> Photograph: Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"0afb72f7-26bd-40e9-a970-b6073b935b02\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-qda0hp\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1e9iiy9\"><span class=\"dcr-13i4yc9\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">US president Donald Trump speaks during the celebrations on the National Mall on 4 July in Washington, DC.<\/span> Photograph: Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-ql9l8l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6mja0y\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-l0wuod\">Trump hails \u2018golden age of America\u2019 in speech marking nation\u2019s 250th anniversary<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-vyfjyx\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1gm5ptv\">\n<p>In late-night campaign-style speech in Washington DC, US president vows to take the US \u2018to new levels\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-x1al2c\">\n<div class=\"dcr-11gq2tx\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-1w2vkyc\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-ogvvui\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Donald Trump has hailed the \u201cunmatched achievement and unlimited potential\u201d of the US in a triumphalist address marking the country\u2019s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">In a late-night campaign-style speech in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/washington-dc\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Washington DC<\/a> on Saturday, the US president claimed his country was \u201cjust getting started\u201d as he vowed to take it \u201cto new levels\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b7be0fdc-44f7-4a77-a364-81d3e7bd1fd7\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-1oq85qr\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-2 | 2\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1rx5ky9\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-15vltj4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/04\/america-250-anniversary-photos-civil-rights-moon-landing-9-11-gold-rush\" class=\"dcr-f35c0u\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-vvxpdt\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6z6e7\">\n<div class=\"dcr-zh9rih\">Burning flags, busty blondes and bison skulls: 48 photographs that capture America at 250<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-oj13vq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-ef9nua\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Celebrations have been marred by extreme weather, including a dangerous heatwave in recent days, and a passing storm that delayed Trump\u2019s speech. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/04\/neo-fascist-patriot-front-washington-dc\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">apparent white nationalist march<\/a> through the streets of Washington also caused alarm.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">When he finally appeared, at 11.15pm, the president reached for a string of his favored topics, from promising a new \u201cgolden age of America\u201d to repeating unfounded allegations of election fraud by his political opponents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cAmerica is a nation of winners,\u201d Trump declared. \u201cToday our country is winning again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">He spoke before a vast fireworks display billed by organizers as the largest \u201cin world history\u201d to mark the occasion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">An extreme heatwave across the US east coast upended some of the weekend\u2019s long-planned celebrations. Saturday\u2019s Independence Day parade through the nation\u2019s capital was abruptly canceled, a day after a parade was also canceled in Philadelphia, where the country\u2019s Declaration of Independence from Britain was signed in 1776.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"e7436677-a361-461f-a4a6-1b7820705c47\" data-spacefinder-role=\"showcase\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-46nkfa\">\n<div id=\"img-2\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fireworks go off during the celebrations in Washington DC\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3af0ccc82b574b2be4eba6a6f38cf8c2569de337\/0_0_8192_5464\/master\/8192.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.8115234375\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-2\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"e7436677-a361-461f-a4a6-1b7820705c47\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1ci1e33\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Fireworks go off during the celebrations in Washington DC. <\/span> Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/jan\/20\/trump-division-vengeance-inauguration\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">second inauguration ceremony<\/a> in January 2025 was the first to be staged indoors since 1985, as a wave Arctic air sent temperatures tumbling to frigid levels. On Saturday, as he prepared to address the US semiquincentennial festivities in Washington, they rose above 100F (37.8C) in Washington amid sweltering conditions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">As of 8pm, emergency services in Washington had treated 51 people with heat-related issues, with 12 taken to nearby hospitals, according to the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">But the weather started to turn after the first spectators filed into the site, and they were forced to evacuate for more than two hours because of fears of a thunderstorm. Rain and lightning followed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cStorms bring luck to whatever the occasion,\u201d Trump wrote on social media, as thousands reluctantly traipsed through the exits, promising to \u201cwait it out\u201d. Later on stage, Trump claimed he would have still spoken even had it been \u201cin front of one person at four o\u2019clock in the morning\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"760af178-e25d-468b-a002-22417eadda5c\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div id=\"img-3\" class=\"dcr-1t7hdmw\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A police officer tells attendees to leave as a storm rolls in\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4b9da63d6779104426d653000acc5d4f9db7f2fa\/0_0_8198_5465\/master\/8198.jpg?width=445&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"445\" height=\"296.64857282263966\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-up96pv\"><a href=\"#img-3\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-zwabc0\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"760af178-e25d-468b-a002-22417eadda5c\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-1bitgpn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-1shbixy\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-vyhg7z\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">A police officer tells attendees to leave as a storm rolls in.<\/span> Photograph: Allison Robbert\/AP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">He introduced a number of military veterans and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science\/2026\/apr\/11\/artemis-ii-nasa-budget-cuts\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">crew of the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission<\/a>, as he rattled through select moments of US history. The country is \u201cthe hope, the promise, the light and the glory\u201d of the world, Trump claimed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">He has repeatedly torn apart convention during the anniversary celebrations, during which a US president would typically be expected to rise above the political fray and attempt to strike a chord with citizens of all persuasions. (His living predecessors were notably absent at the main events in Washington.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">On Friday evening, in a speech delivered beneath the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved into Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/04\/trump-launches-americas-250th-birthday-celebrations-with-partisan-attack\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">launched an extraordinary attack<\/a> on what he termed the \u201ccommunist menace\u201d in America, framing its supporters as \u201cthe enemy of July 4th 1776\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"2a4e81d3-a61e-4991-ab99-9c596a8c12b4\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.YoutubeBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-d9bay7\">\n<div data-chromatic=\"ignore\">\n<div data-component=\"youtube-atom\" data-atom-id=\"deed6217-4159-48c0-972a-fba66d34757b\" data-video-id=\"b3u5rW3X5sg\" data-video-unique-id=\"b3u5rW3X5sg-17\">\n<div data-testid=\"youtube-sticky-b3u5rW3X5sg-17\" data-is-sticky=\"false\" class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1orj1f6\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"0\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"2\" class=\"dcr-jjzgje\"><button data-testid=\"youtube-overlay-b3u5rW3X5sg-17\" aria-label=\"Play video: Trump launches America\u2019s 250th birthday weekend with attack on communism \u2013\u00a0video\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-16xaxky\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Trump launches America\u2019s 250th birthday weekend with attack on communism \u2013\u00a0video\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/db8dfee9afc951193af720d17bd4d675f81624a8\/0_406_5500_3093\/5500.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" height=\"259\" width=\"460\" class=\"dcr-18dqxt1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-bdvwsb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aekkwd\"><span class=\"dcr-1f90r0x\">1:35<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"play-icon dcr-11ol26a\"><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-174mzkf\"><span class=\"dcr-1hnminq\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1cipnsy\">Trump launches America\u2019s 250th birthday weekend with attack on communism \u2013\u00a0video<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">He has increasingly sought to cast progressive Democrats as communists who pose an existential threat to the US, and continued to attack \u201ccommunism\u201d as he addressed the crowds on Saturday, saying that it would never be allowed to \u201crear its ugly head\u201d in the country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cWe don\u2019t want communists in our country,\u201d the president said. \u201cIt never worked, and it never will work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Trump\u2019s allies have been accused of using the anniversary celebrations to stoke, rather than heal, the country\u2019s divisions \u2013 and turning an historically nonpartisan moment of patriotism into a political vehicle for propaganda.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">A high-security perimeter was installed around the site of Trump\u2019s speech, in the shadow of the Washington Monument. Thousands of National Guards troops have been stationed throughout the city, after an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/07\/03\/us\/trump-national-guard-washington.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">increase in recent weeks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Behind the stage, just out of sight, lay the reflecting pool. The president ordered a $14.7m renovation to turn the site \u201cAmerican Flag blue\u201d in time for the country\u2019s 250th birthday celebrations, an effort <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/23\/donald-trump-reflecting-pool-metaphor\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">thwarted by a vast algae bloom<\/a> that turned it green. Trump and his officials have blamed vandals for the project\u2019s misfortunes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"c29c8967-e1e6-48cb-95e2-ac14a88bbaaa\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-1oq85qr\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-23 | 23\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1rx5ky9\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-15vltj4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/23\/donald-trump-reflecting-pool-metaphor\" class=\"dcr-f35c0u\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-vvxpdt\">\n<div class=\"dcr-6z6e7\">\n<div class=\"dcr-zh9rih\">It\u2019s not easy being green: Trump\u2019s botched reflecting pool becomes 2,028ft metaphor<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-oj13vq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-ef9nua\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">The president, who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2017\/jan\/22\/trump-inauguration-crowd-sean-spicers-claims-versus-the-evidence\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">previously fretted<\/a> about the size of crowds he has drawn to the National Mall, had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/25\/donald-trump-america-250-birthday-great-state-fair\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">urged Americans<\/a> to come out and watch what he promised would be \u201cthe greatest show of all\u201d on Saturday night.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cYour favorite president will be speaking. So please show up,\u201d Trump said at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jun\/25\/donald-trump-america-250-birthday-great-state-fair\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">launch of the Great American State Fair<\/a> in late June.Were that not enough, he claimed the ensuing fireworks display would be \u201c10 times larger\u201d than any ever done on US soil.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">Having sought to highlight examples of American perseverance and strength over the past two and half centuries, Trump pointed to Saturday\u2019s weather \u2013 and the way many revelers returned, having been sent away \u2013 as an example of the nation\u2019s resilience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1s160rg\">\u201cYou heard it was over,\u201d he told the crowd. \u201cAnd what happened? You came back.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-swayiu\"><span class=\"dcr-1xhbmzr\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-2c03t5\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-p7nd18\">\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/washington-dc\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Washington DC<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">Donald Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-weather\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US weather<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-r721ee\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-politics\" class=\"dcr-856iwi\">US politics<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-313bdz\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Trump%20hails%20%E2%80%98golden%20age%20of%20America%E2%80%99%20in%20speech%20marking%20nation%E2%80%99s%20250th%20anniversary&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jul\/04\/trump-speech-dc-evacuation-thunderstorm?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-ncybeu\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-19bkree\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fjul%2F04%2Ftrump-speech-dc-evacuation-thunderstorm&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/jul\/04\/trump-speech-dc-evacuation-thunderstorm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-1c41onw\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-zfobkz\"><span class=\"dcr-1ryr20k\"><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US president Donald Trump speaks during the celebrations on the National Mall on 4 July in Washington, DC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":5109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}