Trump is the frontman for his own party as rival groups vie to shape
America’s 250th anniversary
[June 23, 2026]
By STEVEN SLOAN
WASHINGTON (AP) — The complexities of the American story aren't hard to
miss.
Just steps into the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History,
the gavel used by Nancy Pelosi when she became the first female speaker
of the U.S. House sits next to a red “Make America Great Again” cap. A
shirt emblazoned with a pink triangle and “Silence = Death” protesting
the government's inaction during the AIDS crisis hangs alongside a
campaign shirt for President Ronald Reagan, whose administration was
blamed for ignoring the epidemic.
The display is part of a broader exhibit flowing throughout the museum
dubbed “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness,” commemorating the
250th anniversary of American independence. With artifacts ranging from
a Revolutionary War-era gunboat to a 1970 Earth Day flag, it's a
reminder that the challenges and divides gripping the U.S. in the age of
President Donald Trump, while stark, are not new.
“In some of those contestations, people find the hope and the resiliency
to move forward,” said Anthea M. Hartig, the museum's director. “History
is filled with those moments where we think we're completely falling
apart as we did in the Civil War and then we're trying to figure out how
to build it back together again.”
A unifying theme is being tested
That unifying theme is being tested as the anniversary celebrations
intensify in the coming weeks with Trump once again giving himself
central billing. The creation of Freedom 250, an organization aligned
with the White House, has come to rival America 250, a bipartisan group
founded by Congress a decade ago. The different groups add to a sense
that even a milestone anniversary can become the source of division.
The tumultuous aftermath is apparent on the National Mall just outside
the museum, where preparations are underway for “The Great American
State Fair.” A wave of artists including Martina McBride pulled out of
performances at the fair, saying they didn't realize the political
overtone of the event. Trump himself is now planning to speak there
Wednesday.
The split screen will return on July Fourth as America 250 holds a
concert in Los Angeles hosted by Queen Latifah and featuring
performances from Chris Stapleton and The Smashing Pumpkins while the
president returns to the National Mall for what he has described as a
“Trump rally.”
Trump is not the first president to deliver a high-profile July Fourth
speech. In 1986, Reagan spoke from New York Harbor marking the 100th
anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. In 1976, President Gerald Ford
delivered an address from Independence Hall in Philadelphia
commemorating the bicentennial.
Their themes emphasized commonality and unity, framing the moment in a
broader context that had little to do with the presidents themselves.
Reagan joked he “wouldn't even think about trying to compete with a
fireworks display” while noting “all the celebration of this day is
rooted in history.”
Ford spoke of the “American adventure” as a “continuing process.”
“Liberty is for all men and women as a matter of equal and unalienable
right,” he said. “The establishment of justice and peace abroad will in
large measure depend upon the peace and justice we create here in our
own country, where we still show the way.”
Trump tends to place the focus on himself
Trump, of course, tends to place more of the focus squarely on himself.
He became the first president to host the Kennedy Center honors last
year after a Trump-backed board named him chairman. The venue added his
name to the building as well, prompting a federal judge to declare the
move illegal and order its removal.
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The U.S. Capitol is seen in the background of the ferris wheel as
preparation continues for the Great American State Fair on the
National Mall, Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jon
Elswick
More recently, Trump has remade Washington in his image, demolishing
the East Wing of the White House to make way for a ballroom and
moving toward building a triumphal arch near Arlington National
Cemetery. He's eyeing renovations at East Potomac Park even as he
struggles with the return of algae at the Lincoln Memorial
Reflecting Pool, which he remodeled last month. He recently hosted a
UFC fight at the White House.
“Trump is putting himself at the center of the story,” said Mark
Updegrove, chairman of the LBJ Foundation and a presidential
historian. "Trump does not consider himself the steward of the
presidency. He considers himself the embodiment of it.”
The country is in a dour mood as the anniversary approaches. Only
about one-quarter of Americans say the U.S. stands above all other
countries in the world, according to an April poll from The
Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About 3 in
10 say there are better countries than the U.S., an increase from
19% in an AP-NORC poll conducted in June 2016.
Americans are less likely to see a democratically elected government
as “extremely” or “very” important to the United States’ identity as
a nation than they were just a few years ago. About two-thirds of
U.S. adults now say a democratically elected government is highly
important to the U.S.’s identity as a nation, down from 80% in 2021.
Big cultural moments face new rivals
Against that backdrop, it's little wonder that groups dedicated to
the anniversary have multiplied. Even this year's Super Bowl
halftime show — typically one of the few cultural moments bringing
together much of the country — contended with a rival program this
year after conservatives objected to Bad Bunny performing on the
main stage.
Heading into the final days before the holiday, the main groups —
Freedom 250 and America 250 — are outwardly aiming to downplay any
tensions.
Freedom 250 spokesperson Rachel Reisner said the organization was
focused on “signature events and initiatives,” including the fair,
and is “sparking a unifying movement across all 50 states.”
Rosie Rios, the chair of America 250, said her main priority is
delivering programming for all Americans, whether that's eight
consecutive ball drops that will unfold across the country, student
competitions or a massive volunteer effort. As for other
organizations that have emerged like Freedom 250, “the more
celebrations, the merrier.”
“We can't be all things to all Americans,” Rios said. “But we have
something for every American and the more opportunities for everyone
to participate in July 4th and beyond, we're thrilled.”
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