‘We’re celebrating freedom’s triumph over tyranny, liberty’s conquest over oppression, and the enduring victory of the American spirit,’ the president said.
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump spoke before an estimated 150,000 people gathered at the National Mall on the evening of the Fourth of July to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
“We’re celebrating freedom’s triumph over tyranny, liberty’s conquest over oppression, and the enduring victory of the American spirit—from July 4, 1776, to July 4, 2026,” the president said.
Trump said that an estimated 375,000 people had gathered for the Salute to America 250 celebration event before organizers issued an evacuation order at around 7 p.m. ahead of a gathering thunderstorm. Many spectators were unable to return for the celebration due to the delays.
Trump insisted the proceedings continue despite the stormy weather.
At 11 p.m., the celebrations began with American tenor Christopher Macchio singing Ave Maria and Nessun Dorma as his Salute to America. Country music singer Lee Greenwood also performed before introducing the president for his speech.
“For two and a half centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history,” the president said in his opening remarks.
“This country is the home of freedom, this is the land of liberty, and this is a flag that’s the banner of the most extraordinary, most exceptional, most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the earth. And we’re doing better now than we’ve ever done before,” he said.
“No people have done more good, shown 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. All over the world, they try and be like us. Nobody can be like us. And with God’s help, we will always be this, or even better.”
The president continued with stories of how America’s “forward march of freedom” continues for a nation today that is “stronger, freer, richer, safer, and prouder than ever before.” He said this was only because of the “miracle of history” that was the Founding Fathers’ Declaration of Independence, signed by 56 patriotic delegates from the 13 colonies who “seized a victory for the ages.”
They “summoned the courage of giants and the wisdom of centuries to boldly proclaim these timeless truths,” the president said. “They declared that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with sacred, unalienable rights by the hand of our Creator, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Trump honored the nation’s warriors on stage. He was joined on stage by Medal of Honor recipient Col. Paris Davis, 87, who was recognized for his extraordinary heroism during a battle in the Vietnam War in 1965; Capt. Ken Schubring, 104, who fought for Japan’s unconditional surrender after surviving the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; Navy Lt. Arthur Rose, 107, who led landings on D-Day in 1944; Marine Cpl. Don Graves, 101, who was one of only 18 to survive the brutal Battle of Iwo Jima; Marine Cpl. Pat Finn, 94, and Marine Corps Pfc. Private First Class Rudy Meekins, 95, who fought against communism in the Korean War; and Capt. Lloyd “Sonny” Ray, recipient of the Silver Star Medal of valor in combat for leading his unit in the Vietnam War against an enemy many times their size.
The president thanked them for vanquishing fascism and standing “against the evil of communism in the Cold War.”
“America will never be a communist country,” Trump said. “Communism is a loser, and it always will be. The communist system is the opposite of the American system, and the communist system has never worked. Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world, only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We’re not going to let it happen.”
NASA’s Artemis 2 crew; Apollo astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, 90; 11 Gold Star family members; and Maj. Kyle Key, descendant of Star Spangled Banner author Francis Scott Key were also recognized by the president before the national anthem was played.
The president then announced the start of the evening’s fireworks display, accompanied by the Joint Armed Forces Orchestra and live musical performances.
The event schedule promised that the night sky would glow for about 40 minutes, with approximately 850,000 pyrotechnic shells launched from the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial, West Potomac Park, and barges floating on the Potomac River, setting a world record for the most fireworks launched in a single display. The show is estimated to cost about six times the amount normally budgeted for Fourth of July fireworks in the district, based on wholesale prices of approximately $1.5 million or more for such elaborate displays.
By Travis Gillmore and Melanie Sun
