President Donald Trump announced on Monday that a July 4 celebration on the National Mall marking the nation’s 250th anniversary will double as one of his signature rallies, blurring the line between official commemoration and political event.

Event Details

The event is part of the administration’s broader ‘Freedom 250’ programming, which will feature military bands, flyovers, and a large-scale fireworks display between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Trump stated that the July 4 event will include music from his rally playlists, not ‘those people that put you to sleep and constantly complain.’ The White House also hosted a ‘Freedom 250’ UFC event on Sunday, where fighter Josh Hokit used his post-bout interview to disparage former first lady Michelle Obama.

Critics have accused Trump of using presidential events and public spaces to promote his political brand, and his decision to label the celebration as a rally is likely to intensify that scrutiny.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.