Washington DC [US], July 5 : US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) hailed the large crowds attending events marking the 250th anniversary of the United States' Independence, saying the "love of our Country has never been stronger" and announcing that he would address the nation from the Lincoln Memorial later in the evening.
In a post shared by the Rapid Response 47 on X, Trump said, "Despite the heat, which isn't as bad as predicted, the crowds in D.C. are INCREDIBLE! The love of our Country has never been stronger!"
Praising the Independence Day celebrations, he added, "The Air Shows are at a level never seen before - What great pilots, what great equipment!!!"
Trump also announced his public address, saying, "See you all later! Speaking at around 10:00 P.M. at The Lincoln Memorial."
"The Reflecting Pool looks great, despite all it went through with the Vandal Thugs. Will quickly drain and fix the damage done right after this big weekend," he added.
Concluding his message, Trump wrote, "Happy Independence Day. Our Country is Stronger than EVER!!!"
https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2073481261457211841
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance, speaking in New York Harbor during the commemorative events, reflected on the nation's founding and the enduring significance of the Declaration of Independence.
Recalling the days following the adoption of the Declaration in 1776, Vance said, "George Washington read aloud the words of the incredible Declaration: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'"
"Even today, 250 years later, these words command a tremendous power over us as Americans. For 250 years, they have stirred our hearts, and they've reminded us of who we are as a people," he added.
Vance said the American Revolution was rooted in a deeper civilisational tradition, stating, "1776 was not an accident. The patriots of that era understood themselves to be heirs to an older civilisation who would carry it forward."
He further said that when George Washington's soldiers first heard the Declaration, "they understood precisely what it meant," adding that while the words were new, they "expressed a feeling... that already lived in the heart of every single American patriot."
The Vice President also criticised those who focus only on the country's shortcomings.
"You will hear a couple of small but loud voices today speak obsessively not of our national greatness, but of our national imperfections... They're wrong," Vance said.
Urging Americans to embrace a broader understanding of the nation's history, he said, "Reject the two-dimensional view of your fellow citizens, and reject the two-dimensional view of your country. Reject that America is a place for zero-sum thinking, because it is not."
"Our history is one of people carving a great civilisation out of the wilderness. Reject the view of your nation that sees only its sins, but not its grace and its greatness," he added.
Vance also reflected on the Declaration's intended audience, saying it "wasn't written for historians... It was written for the people of this fledgling country. It was written for the soldiers who would fight to turn those words into a new system of government."
He said the document "simply declares these truths to be self-evident" and added that 250 years later, Americans should continue reflecting on those principles and the nation's founding ideals.
Earlier, on the eve of the 250th Independence Day celebrations, Trump addressed a gathering at Mount Rushmore, paying tribute to former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt as "American giants."
He described them as the architects of the nation's freedom and said the United States remained "the most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history," while pledging to preserve the legacy of the country's Founders.
On July 4, America is celebrating 250 years of independence.
The White House on its official website noted that under President Trump, the United States is executing a full year of festivities, which began on Memorial Day, 2025, and will continue through the end of 2026.
The White House is engaging all levels of government, the private sector, non-profit and educational institutions, and every citizen across the country to celebrate this historic milestone.