Trump Marks Nation’s 250th With Veterans Onstage and a Warning Against Communism
The president wouldn't let high temperatures and a storm stop the celebration.
President Trump cast patriotism, military sacrifice, and opposition to communism as central to America’s past and future in a Saturday night speech celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday.
Speaking on the National Mall after severe weather caused a temporary evacuation and roughly two-hour delay, Mr. Trump said he rejected advice to move the event to another week because the “250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence” had to be marked July 4.
“There’s no way we can be deterred,” he said, adding he would have spoken “in front of one person at 4 o’clock in the morning” if necessary.
Mr. Trump called the United States “the home of freedom” and “the land of liberty.” He described the American republic as “the crowning achievement of human history” and said no people had “done more good, shown more courage, made more progress, righted more injustice, or achieved more greatness” than Americans.
The president repeatedly framed the anniversary as a rebuke to communism. After referring to Revolutionary War flags and Britain’s surrender at Yorktown, he said Americans would never let anyone take away their freedom.
“All these talks from the communists, they haven’t got a chance, not even a chance,” Mr. Trump said. “We don’t want communists in our country. It never worked, and it never will work.”
Later, after invoking the Cold War, Mr. Trump said, “America will never be a communist country. Won’t happen. Communism is a loser, and it always will be.” He said the communist system is “the opposite of the American system,” a menace that should be stopped “immediately.”
The president also emphasized the nation’s founding documents, noting the Declaration proclaimed all people have “sacred, unalienable rights” from the Creator. He called the Constitution “the most righteous political document ever conceived” and cited free speech, religious freedom, equal justice under the law, and the right to keep and bear arms.
The program featured historic American flags and veterans Mr. Trump described as representatives of different generations of service. The president talked of William Carney, who escaped slavery, fought for the Union in the Civil War, and became the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor.
Mr. Trump recognized a number of retired veterans at the event, including Colonel Paris Davis, a Medal of Honor recipient “whose courage won eternal glory in Vietnam.” The crowd roared when the 87-year-old walked on stage to salute the American flag that had draped President Abraham Lincoln’s casket. Silver Star recipient Captain Sonny Ray is another Vietnam War vet the president honored.
Mr. Trump introduced Army Captain Ken Schubring, “104 years old and looking really good,” as the Pearl Harbor survivor who fought in the Pacific saluted the flag that went down with the USS Arizona, and Navy Lieutenant Arthur Rose, 107, who commanded 36 landing craft on D-Day and saluted the flag that flew on the first landing craft that day.
He also recognized legendary Marine Corporal Don Graves, 101, one of the last survivors of Iwo Jima.
The president honored Korean War veterans Marine Corporal Pat Finn and Private First Class Rudy Meekins, who fought at Chosin Reservoir. They stood with flags from the 50-state era and Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall crossing Mr. Trump said symbolized communism’s defeat.
Mr. Trump also recognized 11 Gold Star family members, telling them their loved ones were “looking down with great pride.” He said the nation owed them “undying gratitude” and pledged to preserve “the America that they love.”
The president used part of the ceremony to highlight U.S. achievements in aviation and space. He mentioned the Wright brothers, the moon landing, and NASA’s Artemis II crew: commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. Mr. Trump and the astronauts stood beside a flag flown on the Wright brothers’ airplane and presented them with a flag flown earlier Saturday above the Capitol, for American astronauts to plant on a future return to the moon. Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt — a former U.S. senator from New Mexico — also appeared onstage.
The president said the space program showed the United States had regained leadership over China and Russia: “We’re going to go to Mars, and we’re going to continue to be way ahead.”
Mr. Trump closed by declaring the United States remains strong after two-and-a-half centuries. He said “the spirit of 1776 still lives within us all” and called the anniversary “the dawn of the golden age of America.”
He again thanked the audience for returning after the lightning delay. “It’s an honor to be your president,” Mr. Trump said before the fireworks began.
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