President Trump kicked off a 16-day celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary with a rally on the National Mall in Washington. The event, dubbed ‘The Great American State Fair,’ included a military flyover by stealth bombers, military bands, singer Lee Greenwood performing ‘God Bless the USA,’ and a speech by Mr. Trump.
Event Details
The fair will feature representations from all 50 states and U.S. territories, despite at least eight states, led by Democrats, opting not to participate. A spokesperson for the event confirmed that each state and territory will be represented, regardless of participation.
Mr. Trump’s speech underscored the blurring of lines between the nation’s 250th birthday commemoration and promoting his political brand. His remarks commemorated the nation’s founding while also having the flair of a campaign rally.
‘As we stand on the edge of our 250th year of independence, I am thrilled to declare that America is back,’ Mr. Trump said. ‘As you know, a short time ago, we were a dead country. Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.’ He also stated, ‘Nobody’s laughing at us anymore. Two years ago, they were laughing. Now we’re the most respected anywhere.'”
Controversy Surrounding the Event
The State Fair has been plagued with controversy since its announcement last month. Nearly all of the musical acts scheduled to perform abruptly withdrew from the concert, citing concerns that the event had become partisan. Mr. Trump quickly replaced the concert with the rally.
Original reporting: WMAL (Washington DC) — read the source article.
