36 mins ago

Pinned

DNC bashes Trump in statement honoring America's 250th year of independence

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin offered thinly-veiled criticism of President Donald Trump in a statement marking America's 250th year of independence on Saturday.

“Two hundred and fifty years ago, the United States was born out of the radical, revolutionary idea of self-governance, not by king or aristocracy, but by leaders chosen by the people," Martin wrote.

“Since then, generations of advocates have marched, protested, and sacrificed so that all Americans — regardless of race, gender, or background — can participate in our democracy. Democrats are proud to carry on this tradition as we fight for a freer, fairer, and more just America. We remain focused on restoring the American Dream, which has become out of reach for far too many families," he continued.

“While others seek to co-opt our nation’s 250th anniversary into partisan tributes to one political leader, Democrats honor our past by fighting for civil rights, voting rights, lower costs, and equal opportunity," he added.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

Just Now

Dangerous thunderstorms brewing threaten July 4 celebrations in dozen states

Severe thunderstorms are expected to continue across parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic through the July 4 holiday weekend.

While they won't be enough to break the historic heat wave baking the region, they could disrupt nighttime fireworks celebrations with damaging wind gusts and heavy rain.

Storms could also delay travelers at major East Coast airports and create brief periods of difficult driving for holiday road-trippers.

Sweltering temperatures across the region approaching and exceeding 100 degrees, combined with high humidity are fueling thunderstorm development Saturday.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center issued a level 3 severe storm threat across the Mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, storms could produce damaging downbursts — concentrated bursts of straight-line winds in excess of 60 mph — Saturday evening, potentially jeopardizing America 250 fireworks shows.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Julian Atienza.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

Just Now

Firework show celebrates America 250 at George Washington's home Mount Vernon

George Washington's home of Mount Vernon in Virginia featured a big fireworks celebration America's 250th year of independence on Friday night.

Footage from CSPAN shows the historic home lit up with lights as fireworks burst in the air overhead.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

Just Now

Rubio says America will be 'greatest nation on earth' for another 250 years: 'With God's grace'

Secretary of State Marco Rubio marked America's 250th year of independence in a post on X on Saturday.

"For 250 years, America has been the greatest nation on Earth — and with God’s grace, it will be for 250 more," Rubio wrote.

"Happy Independence Day!" he added.

The post also included a partially AI-generated video highlighting famous moments from U.S. history.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

1 min ago

Trump's Mount Rushmore address features 28 minutes of iconic words, 23 minutes of fireworks

President Donald Trump rang in America's 250th birthday celebrations with a 28-minute speech at Mount Rushmore and a fireworks display that might have rivaled his words.

"The American dream still lives, and the American flag still flies more proudly than ever before over the people who will not quit," Trump said at the end of his lengthy — albeit shorter than his usual hours-long — speech. "The nation that will not fail, the country that will not fall no matter how hard the enemy tries, we cannot be beaten."

As Trump spoke, across the world, Iranians buried Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at funeral ceremonies with calls for revenge on the U.S.

In perhaps the most iconic excerpt from Trump's speech, American exceptionalism was highlighted.

"Americans honor excellence; we admire boldness; we respect ambition," Trump said. "We are a nation of dreamers and believers, warriors and explorers, doers and fighters and in every human endeavor Americans see an unfinished competition.

"What is strong can be made stronger. What is fast can be made faster. What is great can be made greater than ever before. And that's what's happening with America.

"Show us a mountain, and we'll just climb it. Show us an ocean and we'll just cross it. Show us a problem and we will just solve it. Show us a task the world calls impossible and Americans will get it done."

Trump finished with a salute to his oft-repeated "golden age of America" mantra for the 250th birthday celebration.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Erick Mack.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

19 mins ago

Americans brave triple-digit heat to celebrate Independence Day in nation's capital

Temperatures are expected to reach over 100 degrees in the nation's capital as Americans head to the Great American State Fair on the national mall Saturday.

The fair had to be temporarily closed due to the heat on Friday, but no announcements of a closure have come down Saturday.

The day is set to feature dozens of aircraft flyovers featuring craft from NASA and the U.S. military.

Back on the ground, there are over 100 pavilions with attractions representing all 56 states and U.S. territories.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

1 hour ago

DC's 'Salute to America' event has same security classification as the Superbowl

Security is tight at the "Salute to America" Independence Day celebration in Washington D.C., which received a top-tier security classification for the first time this year.

The event has been classified as a "National Special Security Event," the same classification used for the Superbowl, presidential inaugurations and other massive events.

Saturday's celebrations center on the Great American State Fair on the national mall, featuring pavilions representing all 50 states.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the nation at 9pm, prior to a fireworks show that has been described as the largest ever.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

1 hour ago

Trump kicks off Fourth of July weekend with symbolic salute to America’s legacy

President Donald Trump will open America’s 250th Independence Day weekend with a return to Mount Rushmore, reviving one of the most symbolic scenes of his first administration as the White House stages a week of patriotic events across some of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.

Trump last attended a Mount Rushmore fireworks display in 2020, when the landmark hosted its first official fireworks show since 2009. 

Trump issued a presidential action in January to honor the history of America, ordering "a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on July 4, 2026." On both a federal and state level, the nation has thrown a line up of events this summer including the "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall.

Trump kicked off the fair on June 24 by hosting a rally the night before the beginning of the fair.

He will return later Saturday for the "Salute to America" event, where he is expected to take the stage.

Washington, D.C., has been placed under an "Extreme Heat Alert" until Sunday morning with temperatures predicted to feel like 105°F or hotter, according to DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management.

Trump’s remarks are expected to begin around 9:00 p.m. ET, prior to a massive fireworks display on the National Mall that has been touted by the administration as the largest in history.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom

1 hour ago

Trump hails America as 'most exceptional nation ever to exist' in Mount Rushmore speech

President Donald Trump marked the eve of America's 250th anniversary with a sweeping patriotic address at Mount Rushmore on Friday, declaring the United States the "most exceptional nation ever to exist" and vowing that it would "never be a Communist country."

Speaking beneath the granite likenesses of four of his predecessors — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt — Trump touted American exceptionalism as festivities marking the nation's 250th anniversary ramped up across the country.

"In all the chronicles of the ages, never before has any nation celebrated so magnificent a triumph as this one," Trump told the crowd.

"At 250 years, America is the oldest republic on earth," he continued. "We are the freest people on earth. We have the most righteous and enduring Constitution on earth. We are the strongest and most powerful country on earth. And 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."

Trump praised the nation's history and argued that no other country had achieved as much as the United States.

"The birth and survival of the American nation under God is, quite simply, the best and most incredible thing ever to happen on this planet by human hands, ever," he said. "No other country has done more good for this world than the United States of America."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Michael Sinkewicz.

Posted by Anders Hagstrom