Trump on Independence Day: 'The American Dream is back'

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke from the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, July 4, during celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American independence. The White House called it the country's "most important milestone," and Trump's address focused on American exceptionalism, drawing heavily on historical references.

"The American dream is back," Trump told a cheering crowd. "No people have done more good, shown more courage, made more progress, righted more injustice, or achieved more greatness than you, the American people," he continued. "For 250 years, the United States of America has been the hope, the promise, the light, and the glory among all of the nations of the world."

Later in his speech, Trump briefly touched on some of Washington's overseas military interventions, including Venezuela, where the U.S. seized former President Nicolás Maduro in January, and the Iran war, saying the U.S. had "wiped out" Tehran's military. He also renewed his criticism of "communists" — a term he often uses to describe his domestic opponents. "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. "It's like a cancer. You got to cut it out," he added.

A huge fireworks display kicked off over the capital's lightning-filled skies following the president's speech, which was delayed due to a passing storm. The celebrations came amid a brutal heatwave gripping large parts of the eastern United States this week. On Saturday, the U.S. National Weather Service said the "prolonged, dangerous" hot spell would continue through the holiday weekend across the Ohio Valley, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, with multiple temperature records expected.

World leaders, politicians, and royals sent messages of congratulations to the U.S. ahead of Saturday's 250th birthday celebrations, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and King Charles III. Charles issued a particularly heartfelt statement to Trump, calling the UK's relationship with the U.S. "one of extraordinary evolution" and "one of the closest and most productive alliances the world has seen." "Across defence and security, trade and investment, science, research, education, culture and the arts, the ties between the United Kingdom and the United States are unique and far-reaching," he added.