America’s contentious birthday

What festivities are planned?

The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is being celebrated with a series of MAGA-fied gatherings, concerts, and competitions. Many of them have an overtly partisan component. The first event was a night of Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts staged on the White House lawn specifically to coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday. The next, the “Great American State Fair,” which runs on the National Mall for two weeks, was supposed to include stands from every U.S. state and territory. But at least seven states (six of them with Democratic governors) pulled out, citing costs and politics, after it became clear that the event would feature Republican themes like Make America Healthy Again Monday and the participation of conservative groups such as Moms for America. This event is “a more partisan affair than originally presented,” said Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek through a spokesman. The pro-Trump vibe also caused the cancellation of a planned June 25 kickoff concert, after country singer Martina McBride, rapper Young MC, and bands including Morris Day and the Time and the Commodores all bowed out for political reasons. Trump said he would open the State Fair with one of his political rallies instead, adding that he’d make July 4 “the most spectacular Trump rally of them all.”

Was this the original plan?

No. In 2016, Congress authorized a bipartisan nonprofit known as America250 to organize America’s milestone birthday. Inspired by the 1976 bicentennial—a widely praised extravaganza featuring 12 weeks of festivals on the Mall, events in every state, and the opening of the Air and Space Museum—the group said then it hoped to “educate, engage, and unite” Americans with programs across the country that would present and celebrate our history. So far, it has organized events such as a July 4 benefit concert in Los Angeles featuring Smashing Pumpkins and Queen Latifah; a succession of ball drops in New York City’s Times Square for each U.S. time zone on July 3; and the burying in Philadelphia of a huge time capsule to be opened in 2276. But it’s not very well funded. For the bicentennial, Congress had spent the equivalent of $900 million in today’s dollars. For this celebration, it has given less: some $80 million total between 2019 and 2025. While another $150 million was allocated in last year’s giant budget bill to top up the funds, the bulk of that money doesn’t go to America250 but to a rival group, Freedom 250.

What is Freedom 250?

It’s the Trump-chaired White House task force behind the UFC fight and the fair. Created by one of Trump’s early executive orders specifically to take the place of the bipartisan America250, Freedom 250 consists entirely of Republicans, nearly all white men. Vice President JD Vance serves as vice chair, and most Cabinet members are on the task force. Over a quarter of the partners listed on Freedom 250’s website are Christian groups or have Christian affiliations, although it also has connections with firms such as John Deere and Northrop Grumman. Freedom 250 says its mission includes inviting Americans “to pray for our country and our people and rededicate ourselves as One Nation Under God.” Both groups are running events.

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How do the two groups differ?

Democrats call Freedom 250 a “Trump vanity” project, saying it promotes a revisionist, overly sanitized version of American history. Freedom 250 materials for a student art contest, for instance, describe Martin Luther King Jr. as having a “can-do” attitude but don’t mention that he fought segregation. But the Trump administration said it had to create its own task force because America250 placed too much emphasis on the darker aspects of American history, like slavery and discrimination. Chris LaCivita, a former Trump campaign manager, even accused the commission of wanting “to apologize” for the past 250 years. Meanwhile, the two sides are now squabbling over funding. America250 was supposed to get $50 million of the celebration money Congress allocated last year. As of June, though, the Interior Department had transferred only half of that.

Why the holdup? 

The administration says America250 has overspent “on frivolous, poorly attended events.” It points to the America’s Field Trip initiative, an essay contest whose winners get trips to historic sites, which is costing an estimated $10.4 million. Yet the White House has also raised eyebrows with its spending. The Interior Department has splashed out $98 million to spruce up Washington, D.C., for the celebrations, gilding horse statues and repainting the Reflecting Pool. The huge triumphal arch that Trump wants to build will cost another $100 million, at least. Plus, there are allegations of corruption: Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) launched a probe into whether the White House was running a “pay-to-play” scheme by giving wealthy Freedom 250 donors access to Trump.

Are Americans excited to turn 250?

Some are. Major concerts, festivals, and parades are expected to draw big crowds in Boston; New York; Philadelphia; Richmond, Va.; and Charleston, S.C. But Gallup found that while 84% of Americans over 65 plan to celebrate, the number drops to 66% for those ages 40 to 64, and just 54% for those 18 to 39. An NBC News poll found the number of respondents who were “extremely” proud to be an American is at a record low of 33%, and 38% told Reuters/ Ipsos they don’t believe the U.S. will be around for its 500th birthday. Some historians blame the apathy on the president. “The carnival atmosphere of cage fights on the White House lawn and a concert that everyone seems to be backing out of tells you all you need to know,” says historian James Robenalt. “There is no serious look at the nation or its complicated history.”