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250th Birthday, Trump in Charge
President Donald Trump has effectively taken over the U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations, with Congress having created a commission to support events in Washington, D.C., and around the country to mark the occasion.
““Not for a president, but for a monarch, absolutely.””
MS NOW’s presidential historian Jon Meacham said Trump has hijacked America’s 250th anniversary by making the country’s birthday all about himself, telling Laura Barrón-López, “Not for a president, but for a monarch, absolutely.”
Meacham said the Declaration of Independence is “really important” in this political moment, adding that the “central rhetorical task of a president in a moment like this is to talk about us and not him.”
The dispute has played out through events promoted by Trump and members of his administration, including the Great American State Fair on the National Mall and a July Fourth event Trump dubbed “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all.”
Reactions and Partisan Split
Congressional Democrats and members of the bipartisan America 250 commission have argued that the semiquincentennial has become intensely partisan, with President Donald Trump “essentially taking over as master of ceremonies.”
Sen. Alex Padilla told a Senate hearing that “He can’t help himself – especially with things that don’t involve him, don’t praise him, don’t highlight him,” and questioned how much taxpayer money had been spent on Freedom 250 versus America250.
At the same time, NBC News reported that attendees at the first weekend of Trump’s Great American State Fair said they hadn’t noticed politics overshadowing the celebration, with Pamela L. saying, “I haven’t seen the political things.”
NBC News also quoted Nicole Briggs and Heather Hatter saying they didn’t feel any particular political views were being imparted, while Daniela Guerrero said she expected Republican-tinged programming and Grace Guber said, “100%.”
Funding, Oversight, and What’s Next
The fight over the 250th anniversary has centered on funding and control, with the bipartisan commission telling Congress it had a $100 million funding shortfall while Freedom 250 received $68 million in taxpayer funds this year.
“Freedom 250 received $68 million in taxpayer funds this year”
NOTUS reported that the Trump administration is withholding tens of millions in taxpayer funds from America250 while directing money toward Freedom 250, and Sen. Alex Padilla asked, “How much of this has been pay-to-play or quid pro quo?”
NBC News described the Great American State Fair as a 16-day event put together by Freedom 250, a public-private partnership the Trump administration created to organize events in the capital related to the nation’s semiquincentennial.
The Guardian added that America250 was elbowed aside in favor of Freedom 250, and it pointed to a $14.7m renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool that became bright green after an algae bloom and began to peel, with Trump blaming “mysterious vandals” and threatening alleged vandals with jail time.
