THE NEW YORK TIMES: US President Donald Trump speaks as America celebrates its 250th birthday
US President Donald Trump addressed the nation on its 250th anniversary to a scattered crowd in Washington late on Saturday, following a stormy forecast that led officials to evacuate the National Mall.
US President Donald Trump addressed the nation on its 250th anniversary to a scattered crowd in Washington late on Saturday, following a stormy forecast that led officials to evacuate the National Mall for more than two hours.
As he began his remarks, he thanked the crowd for returning to celebrate with him. “For 2 1/2 centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history,” he said, praising the country as the “most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the Earth, and we’re doing better now than we’ve ever done before.”
Mr Trump’s address was followed by what the White House has called “the largest pyrotechnics display in the history of the world.”
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
The muggy day in much of the country was otherwise marked with the usual American exuberance, with fighter jets, tall ships, parachutists and flag-festooned pickups. Across the city of Philadelphia, bells rang at noon to mark the moment in 1776 when the Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence, and reenactors dressed as Minutemen marched on the grass of Independence Mall.
In New York, a flotilla of tall schooners and sloops sailed up the Hudson River, with one ship carrying an issue of The Boston Gazette from July 22, 1776, which reprinted the full text of the Declaration of Independence.
In Charlottesville, Virginia, 75 people from around the world became United States citizens during a naturalisation ceremony at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home.
And in Los Angeles, a crowd gathered at a park for an Independence Day party that was scheduled to go on all weekend.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
© 2026 The New York Times Company
Originally published on The New York Times
