US marks 250 years of independence amid political divides and heat wave

Washington,UPDATED: Jul 4, 2026 19:00 IST

The United States began marking the 250th anniversary of American independence on Saturday amid sharp political divisions and a heat wave affecting millions across several states. The milestone tied to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of history's best-known statements of democratic ambition, is being observed in many ways across the country.

President Donald Trump is set to play a central role in the celebrations, with plans to speak on the Mall in Washington before what is being billed as a historically enormous fireworks display over the capital. The wider holiday calendar includes fireworks in Chicago and New York City, concerts in Los Angeles and long-running local celebrations in Rhode Island, even as extreme weather has forced changes and cancellations.

Trump was in South Dakota at Mount Rushmore on Friday, where he delivered a dark speech about the threat of communism in the United States as the carved images of four of his best-known predecessors loomed behind him. Elsewhere, fireworks were scheduled over Navy Pier in Chicago and against the skyline of New York City, which also held a ball drop at midnight to usher in the holiday with the same fanfare as New Year's Eve.

Bristol, Rhode Island, describes itself as the home of the country's oldest Independence Day celebrations, dating to 1785. In Los Angeles, Queen Latifah is due to host a concert featuring performances by The Smashing Pumpkins and Chris Stapleton, with Chaka Khan billed as a special guest.

Anticipation for the anniversary has been building for much of the year, giving Americans a chance to reflect on their complicated history as former colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own. But celebrations planned over several months had to be adjusted or cancelled as much of the East Coast sweltered under temperatures that approached and in many cases crossed triple digits.

In Washington, the Great American State Fair was closed for several hours on Friday afternoon during the worst of the heat, and the city's Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday was cancelled. On the other side of the country, the weather was far milder, with the Pacific Northwest seeing temperatures in the 60s on Friday along with a few light showers.

In the Seattle suburb of Issaquah, 31-year-old Megan Kurowski took her two dogs to the dog park for some exercise before work. Kurowski said she was feeling positive about America's 250th anniversary and was considering paddleboarding to watch the fireworks. "Everyone's just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years," she said.

Other American pastimes also overlap with the holiday. More than a dozen Major League Baseball games are scheduled for Saturday. The World Cup, being hosted in the US for the first time in 32 years, will have matches in Houston and Philadelphia on Saturday, following a nail-biter overtime win by Argentina over Cape Verde on Friday outside Miami. Pop culture enthusiasts can focus on Taylor Swift's Friday wedding to football player Travis Kelce at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Madonna also released her 15th studio album, a collection of dance tracks.

The celebrations are taking place against the backdrop of a deep divide that has widened over the years, visible in politics, culture and long-running questions around race, class and immigration. At Mount Rushmore on Friday, Trump described communism as a "mortal threat to American liberty". "It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbour, or even 9/11," the Republican president said.

Without naming Trump, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who is also a democratic socialist and recently backed several successful congressional candidates in their primaries, appeared to refer to him in a speech on Friday. "Those ideals upon which our nation was built - they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them," he said.

Former Democratic President Bill Clinton said the anniversary had come at a time of "renewed questions about America's future and role in the world, and serious threats to our own institutions and to our democracy itself". While criticising "the people in charge", he said in a statement that "there is still nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what's right with America".

Ahead of the holiday, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano in Topeka, Kansas, said what made Americans "awesome" was not politics but resilience. "We've just all got to find unity somewhere, whether that's in laughter or perseverance, and keep everybody cool," he said from a fireworks stand where he is doing booming business as a side hustle.

Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he was not aware that the US was celebrating its 250th anniversary and planned to keep things low-key. He and his wife usually skip the fireworks and stay home with their fearful dogs to keep them calm. "America's a great place," he said, "but there are some concerns." As the country marks 250 years of independence, the celebrations are bringing together pageantry, extreme weather, public events and a familiar debate over the state of the nation.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends