USA celebrate 250th birthday with grand fireworks – and a series of mishaps

Opening with obstacles

Trump personally opened the "Great American State Fair". At the opening, he spoke behind bulletproof glass and called the United States "the hottest country anywhere in the world". He described the USA as having been raised from the "dead" under his leadership: "die unter seiner Führung angeblich von den "Toten" auferweckten Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika". His speech was brief and touched on topics such as the Founding Fathers, transgender issues, men in women's sports, inclusion, and Critical Race Theory.

Politically, too, the celebrations caused friction. Seven states governed by Democrats boycotted the State Fair entirely. The Washington Post described the State Fair's pavilions as sets in an artificial agora with Doric columns and arched niches, "die auf billige Theaterkulissen gemalt sind – sie sehen aus, als hätte jemand die Fototapeten aus einem schäbigen griechischen Imbiss, der Gyros, Moussaka und kalorienreiche Pastitsio-Platten verkauft, vergrößert."

Heat wave and politics

On the actual anniversary day, Trump will deliver a major speech on the National Mall. Expectations for the weather and the mood, however, are subdued: temperatures around 42 degrees are expected on the National Mall. With expected temperatures of around 42 degrees on the National Mall, the USA on its jubilee day may come close to the president's proclamation of being "the hottest country anywhere in the world".

Historical review

The look back at history is more sobering. The U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 by 56 signatories. Today the Union consists of 50 states plus territories. George Washington had chosen for himself in his will the formulation: "citizen of the United States and, if anything had been, president of them at the close of it".

The anniversary comes at a time when the political climate in the USA is highly polarized. Artistic cancellations and criticism of the staging show that not all Americans embrace the celebrations. At the same time, Trump is using the stage to address his political opponents directly and to stage patriotism as the core brand of his presidency.

Whether the grand fireworks in the evening can overshadow the negative headlines of the day remains to be seen. Organizers promote it as the largest, longest, and most expensive spectacle of its kind ever. In the end, the staging on the National Mall is likely to be the decisive test of whether the much-reported "Flop" can still turn into a memorable 250th birthday.