US President Donald Trump marked America's 250th Independence Day with a sweeping address celebrating the nation's history, military strength and economic achievements, while renewing calls for tighter election laws, condemning communism and outlining an ambitious vision for American leadership on Earth and in space.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump marked America's 250th Independence Day with a sweeping address celebrating the nation's history, military strength and economic achievements, while renewing calls for tighter election laws, condemning communism and outlining an ambitious vision for American leadership on Earth and in space.
Speaking from the majestic National Mall after severe thunderstorms delayed the celebrations for several hours, Trump thanked thousands of supporters who returned after being evacuated because of lightning.
"There was no way we could be deterred," he said. "You're very special people, and we have a very special country."
Calling the occasion "one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time", Trump described the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as a defining moment in American history.
"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," he said. "They try to be like us. Nobody can be like us."
Throughout the nearly 40-minute address, Trump traced America's journey from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution through the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, westward expansion, industrialisation, two World Wars, the Cold War and the Space Age.
He hailed the nation's founders for proclaiming that "all men are created equal" and described the Constitution as "the most righteous political document ever conceived".
"Our founders not only won our liberty, they secured it with the most righteous political document ever conceived," he said.
The President used a series of historic American flags displayed on stage to recount key moments in US history, including the victories at Saratoga and Yorktown, the Civil War, Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, Pearl Harbour, D-Day, Iwo Jima, the Korean War, Vietnam and the fall of communism.
He invited decorated veterans and Medal of Honour recipients to the stage, including Colonel Paris Davis, Pearl Harbour survivor Ken Shubrin, D-Day veteran Arthur Rose and Iwo Jima veteran Corporal Graves, describing them as symbols of American courage.
"They saved the world, and they made America very, very proud," Trump said of what he called the "greatest generation".
Military strength was a recurring theme.
Trump said recruitment across the armed forces, police departments and fire services had surged because "people respect and love our country again".
"We rebuilt our military in my first term," he said. Referring to this year's conflict with Iran, Trump added: "You look at Venezuela, you look at Iran, we wiped it out, wiped out their military."
Later, he claimed the United States had secured "one of the greatest naval victories in history" by "sinking the entire Iranian navy, 159 ships to the bottom of the sea."
"America is a nation of winners, and today our country is winning again," Trump declared.
He also urged Congress to approve the "Save America Act", saying it would require voter identification, proof of citizenship and sharply restrict mail-in voting.
"All voters must show voter ID. All voters must provide a little thing called proof of citizenship, and there will be no mail-in ballots, except for illness, disability, military deployment, or travel," he said.
Trump repeatedly denounced communism, saying: "We don't want communists in our country."
Later, referring to Cold War veterans, he added: "America will never be a communist country. Communism is a loser, and it always will be." He described communist ideology as "a cancer" that should be stopped "before it begins".
The President also highlighted America's scientific and technological achievements, welcoming NASA's Artemis II astronauts and Apollo 17 astronaut Jack Schmitt to the stage.
Presenting the Artemis crew with a US flag flown over the Capitol earlier in the day, Trump said it would one day be planted on the Moon.
"We're going to do the Moon, and we're going to go from there. We're going to go to Mars," he said.
He also defended his creation of the US Space Force, saying critics had mocked the idea but that America was now leading China and Russia in space.
Trump honoured 11 Gold Star families, thanking them for the sacrifices made by their loved ones in military service.
"They loved our country. They sacrificed it all," he said.
In the closing minutes, Trump argued that the nation was experiencing renewed prosperity.
"Our stock market is the strongest it's ever been," he said, adding that the United States had attracted "$19.2 trillion" in investment, was building more factories than ever before, had record employment and that retirement accounts were at historic highs.
He also claimed Washington had become "safe and gleaming and beautiful again" after previously being "a very unsafe place".
Ending on an optimistic note, Trump declared that the United States remained unmatched after 250 years.
"We may be the oldest constitutional republic on earth, but our country is just getting started, because the best is yet to come," he said. Calling the present era "the golden age of America", Trump pledged to make the country "bigger, better, stronger", saying the spirit of 1776 continued to inspire Americans two-and-a-half centuries after independence. The speech concluded with a fireworks display over the National Mall.
The address marked the centrepiece of the White House's America250 celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776. The year-long programme has included nationwide events honouring the nation's founding, military service and constitutional traditions.
Since returning to office, Trump has consistently framed his presidency around restoring what he calls American strength, economic growth and national pride. Saturday's speech reflected those themes, combining tributes to the country's past with a vision of continued military, technological and economic leadership in the years leading to the United States' next quarter millennium.