Donald Trump delivered a speech on Saturday night that even his most loyal supporters found disappointing, as he rambled through grievances and boasts rather than offering a unifying vision for the nation's 250th anniversary.
The event, held on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, was delayed by four hours due to severe lightning storms. Despite the apocalyptic weather, Trump took the stage with the hubris of an emperor, claiming that divine providence had made him president for this historic occasion.
A Missed Opportunity for Greatness
Many had hoped for a Gettysburg Address for the 21st century, a deathless line like Franklin Roosevelt's 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself' or John F. Kennedy's 'ask not what your country can do for you.' Instead, Trump offered a meandering speech that veered from petty grievances to exaggerated claims.
'They estimated 375,000 people before everybody had to leave,' Trump began, referring to the evacuation. 'They now have 150,000 people.' This was a wildly exaggerated claim reminiscent of his insistence that his inauguration crowd was larger than Barack Obama's.
Hubris and Grievances
Trump spoke with the arrogance of ancient emperors, declaring: 'For 250 years, the United States of America has been the hope, the promise, the light and the glory among all the nations of the world. All over the world they try to be like us. Nobody can be like us, and with God's help, we will always be the best, or even better. We are going to be better.'
He acknowledged the founding fathers but quickly added an aside: 'Unlike so many others in the world, in this country we have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equal justice under the law – although I was not treated that well, but we don't need to get into that – and the right to keep and bear arms.'
Jarring Segues and Partisan Messages
Trump's speech was filled with jarring segues. After discussing a historic flag from the Spanish-American War, he boasted: 'Much like our recent victory sinking the entire Iranian navy: 159 ships to the bottom of the sea, all done in just a moment's time.' Then he pivoted to a call for voter ID laws, saying: 'We want to keep America great, and we will do so by approving the Save America Act, which means all voters must show voter ID. All voters must provide proof of citizenship. And there will be no mail-in ballots, except for illnesses, disability, military deployment, or travel.'
He introduced centenarian veterans of Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and Iwo Jima, but quickly turned to a cold war message about communists taking over the Democratic party. '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,' he said.
A Partisan Spectacle
The event was distinctly partisan, with hats reading 'Make America great again' and 'Trump was right about everything' in abundance. During the evacuation, many defied Secret Service pleas, chanting 'USA! USA!' and 'We want Trump!' One attendee was heard remarking: 'We need January 6 mark II.'
Kenneth Edwards, 43, a teacher from Tallahassee, Florida, drove 13 hours with his daughter for the fireworks and a TikTok video. 'I don't get into all of the politics and stuff, man,' Edwards said. 'I just wanted to bring my kids to see some really cool fireworks.'
A Hollow Message of Love
Trump closed with a message of love: 'Over 250 years, the world has seen great empires, mighty nations, and terrible tyrants. They came, and they went. But after two and a half centuries, this American republic still stands tall and strong, and we love each other.' However, the message rang hollow from a president known for divisive rhetoric.
The fireworks display, which Trump promised would be the biggest and best the world had ever seen, was accompanied by loud music including the Village People's YMCA. The event was described as 'the strangest show on earth – the defeat of a king celebrated by a would-be king.'
