WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump hailed America as the “crowning achievement” of human history during celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary on Saturday, while renewing his attacks on domestic opponents whom he described as communists.
Trump’s speech, delivered on the National Mall in Washington, was delayed by several hours after approaching storms forced the temporary evacuation of crowds. Although he had promised a massive political rally to leave his mark on the national celebrations, the 80-year-old Republican largely adopted a traditional patriotic tone throughout the address.
Speaking before tens of thousands of attendees, Trump said the United States was “prouder than ever before” under his presidency. “For two and a half centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history,” he declared.
During the speech, Trump paid tribute to veterans of World War II as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. He described the Korean and Vietnam conflicts as examples of the fight against communism, echoing remarks he made a day earlier during his speech at Mount Rushmore.
“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,” Trump said.
The president has repeatedly focused on the issue in recent weeks ahead of the November US midterm elections, particularly after anti-establishment candidates from the Democratic Party’s left wing secured a series of victories in primary contests. Referring to communism, Trump added, “It’s like a cancer, you’ve got to cut it out.”
Trump also highlighted recent US military operations against Iran and Venezuela, claiming Washington had “wiped out” Tehran’s military. Despite the high-profile occasion, the speech lasted around 45 minutes, shorter than many of his previous public addresses.
Supporters welcomed the remarks. Richard Sullivan, 70, who travelled from Virginia with his wife Nancy and wore a “Freedom 250” T-shirt, praised the president’s speech.
“We love Trump, we loved his speech,” Sullivan said. “He went through our great history and had a word for the veterans that were here. He makes us proud to be American.”
The celebrations concluded with a massive fireworks display, which Trump had said would be the largest in the world.
Across the United States, Americans marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776 despite an intense heatwave affecting much of the eastern part of the country.
Temperatures in Washington reached a record 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius), the highest ever recorded in the capital on July 4. According to the National Weather Service, around 160 million Americans were under extreme weather warnings.
Severe weather also disrupted celebrations elsewhere. Fireworks in New York were moved to an earlier time, while events in Philadelphia and along Boston’s Charles River were interrupted by evacuations due to threatening weather conditions.
The storms also threatened Trump’s appearance in Washington. Several hours before the speech, authorities ordered tens of thousands of people to leave the National Mall because of approaching thunderstorms.
While many attendees complied with the evacuation order, AFP reporters witnessed chaotic scenes as others refused to leave or attempted to return, shouting slogans including “Charge!” and “Trump! Trump!”
Despite the weather, Trump insisted the event would proceed. Speaking to Fox News, he said that if Allied troops could endure difficult conditions during the D-Day landings in World War II, he could also continue despite the storms.
Among those attending the celebrations was 62-year-old retired civil servant Randy Cole, who said: “Experiencing a little heat is a lot less than what a lot of people sacrifice to give us this freedom in this awesome country.”
However, Trump’s decision to place himself and his political agenda at the centre of the anniversary celebrations underscored the deep political divisions that have characterised his second term in office.
Those divisions were evident near Capitol Hill, where masked demonstrators, some carrying Confederate flags and others displaying symbols associated with the white supremacist Patriot Front, gathered while chanting, “Reclaim America!”
For many Americans, the 250th anniversary served as both a celebration and an opportunity for reflection. A Quinnipiac University poll found that 61 per cent of Americans believe the country is not living up to the ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence.