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Trump Says July 4th Celebration Will Feature ‘TRUMP RALLY’ on National Mall

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President Donald Trump said Monday that the Independence Day celebration on the National Mall will include what he described as a “TRUMP RALLY,” adding a distinctly political framing to an event traditionally centered on the country rather than any one president or party.

The main July 4th event on the National Mall, known as the “Salute to America,” is expected to include a parade, military demonstrations and other activities before concluding with a fireworks display over the monuments, according to the National Park Service.

Freedom 250, a public-private partnership launched by the White House last year, had previously announced the July 4th event as the nation’s “premier Independence Day celebration,” but did not mention Trump’s involvement.

“Set against the iconic backdrop of the National Mall, Salute to America will bring together citizens from every corner of the country to honor and celebrate the United States,” Freedom 250 said in a release earlier this month.

But Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the evening would also serve as a large-scale rally tied to America’s 250th anniversary celebration.

“On July 4th, at The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, in beautiful and safe Washington D.C., we are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a ‘TRIBUTE TO AMERICA. Starting at 7 P.M. EST, this HUGE Celebration will honor our Country’s People, Spirit, Strength, Resolve, and Triumphs.”

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Trump also said the event would include what he described as the largest fireworks show in history.

The announcement stands out because celebrations marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence have generally been treated as nonpartisan commemorations of the nation as a whole. Trump, however, has repeatedly placed himself at the center of events connected to America’s semiquincentennial.

His latest plans follow other instances in which he has faced criticism for using the presidency to elevate his own image or advance personal interests during events that would typically be viewed as apolitical national celebrations.

After several artists withdrew from a concert series connected to the “Great American State Fair,” Trump made himself the host of an opening ceremony celebrating America’s 250th birthday.

Some performers who backed out reportedly said they had not realized how closely the event was tied to Trump. Trump later promoted the June 24th event as “a Rally to end all Rallies!”

On Sunday, his 80th birthday, Trump also hosted a UFC fight night at the White House, an event billed in part as a celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary. His family simultaneously promoted a business venture tied to the spectacle, selling gold coins priced at up to $12,000.

Some of Trump’s supporters praised the White House UFC event as a way to rally Americans around the anniversary.

“Fight for freedom. Fight for our way of life. Fight for America,” the Homeland Security Department wrote on X.

Democrats, meanwhile, have criticized Trump’s growing role in the anniversary celebrations as improper and potentially unethical, with some opening investigations into sponsorships connected to the events.

The president’s July 4th announcement also comes after several states declined to take part in the “Great American State Fair” on the National Mall. Officials have said many of those decisions were driven largely by cost, though a spokesperson in one Democratic-led state cited concerns about the event’s partisan tone.

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The event will be staged against the backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, which he said he recently renovated. The Interior Department is still working to remove “residual algae” from the Reflecting Pool.

Trump previously delivered remarks at the Lincoln Memorial during the White House’s “Salute to America” celebration on July 4th in 2019, though critics at the time argued the event resembled a political rally.

In recent days, Trump has also invoked the site’s history, comparing the crowd for his 2019 address near the Reflecting Pool to the crowd that gathered there for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

“That’s where MLK made his great speech, and they said he had a million people. And I made a speech there for July 4th a few years ago and … that was packed. They said I had 25,000 people. They said [King] had a million, but when you look at the picture, the people were packed even tighter at mine. I had more people than him, but they said I had 25,000, he had a million. But I’m not going to argue with Martin Luther King.”

In his Monday post, Trump said the July 4th rally would feature military bands, orchestras and ceremonial units performing what he called “patriotic melodies,” as well as favorite hits from his own “playlist.”

“We will have none of those people that put you to sleep and constantly complain!” the president said, appearing to refer to artists who have criticized him.

“There will be incredible Flyovers and Airshows featuring our Top Military Pilots and Equipment, and I will deliver keynote remarks that you will not want to miss.”

The National Mall has long hosted July Fourth celebrations, including the 1976 bicentennial, which drew an estimated 1 million people. President Gerald Ford marked the bicentennial with a formal address in Philadelphia earlier that day, but did not speak to the crowd gathered on the Mall.

ukraine

Ukraine Celebrates Their Independence Day With A Careful Look Towards Russia

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This Wednesday, Ukraine celebrated their Independence Day which also marked the 31st anniversary of when the country voted to break off from the Soviet Union. 

This year, however, became more of a somber occasion. Officials around the Ukraine were attending memorials and issuing warnings that Moscow could potentially carry out missile attacks against cities within the Ukraine. 

In years past, this holiday would be marked with celebrations and parades. This year commemorated exactly six months after Russia’s invasion began.

President Volodymyr Zelensky started off the day with an address that spoke of the recent invasion as a new independence day where Ukraine had to fight for its freedom instead of simply voting for it.

“A new nation emerged on February 24 at 4 a.m. Not born, but reborn. A nation that didn’t cry, didn’t scream, didn’t get scared. Didn’t run away. Didn’t give up. Didn’t forget.” 

All across Ukraine, people paid tribute to the people who have been killed in the military ever since the invasion from Russia began.

The silent celebrations throughout Ukraine followed Zelensky’s warning that Russia may step up efforts to start attacks once again, including missile strikes. 

According to CNN, The US government joined Ukraine with concerns of the attacks and warned Americans visiting to leave the country immediately. 

Sadly, the expressed concerns appeared to have come true as Russia launched missile strikes all across Ukrainian territory.

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“In other major cities of Ukraine, even those which are far away from the battlefield, there have been explosions, there have been missile strikes,” said Sak, an adviser to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov. 

Within these explosions, there has been at least 15 people killed and dozens more wounded from a Russian rocket strike. 

In a recent video, Zelensky said the rockets that were blasted from Russia hit a train and at least 4 of the carriages were on fire. 

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Many of the public celebrations for Ukraine’s independence day were canceled, but citizens showed their respect by wearing embroidered shirts similar to the national dress. 

Even through all the attacks, Ukraine is still uniting together to take a stand up against Russia. 

“Every new day is a new reason not to give up. Because, having gone through so much, we have no right not to reach the end. What is the end of the war for us? We used to say: Peace. Now we say: Victory,” said Zelensky.

Fireworks

Major US Cities Making Adjustments To Their Fourth Of July Firework Displays

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The Fourth of July is often celebrated with backyard barbecues, American flags, and of course, fireworks. However, this year the coronavirus pandemic has created a major obstacle for many fourth of July celebrations. Many major American cities that are known for their massive annual displays have already made announcements for what they plan to do this year to ensure spectators remain healthy and safe while still enjoying sparks light up the night sky.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall cancelled the city’s firework shows that typically take place in Jordan and Liberty Park and instead is asking residents to decorate their homes in red, white, and blue. Residents will be able to light their own fireworks from July 2nd to July 5th between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., according to the Salt Lake City fire department.

Chicago cancelled its annual fireworks show at the Navy Pier but the city is still planning on maintaining some level of safe celebration. The city itself is hosting an at-home salsa dance class, a virtual house music festival, and a virtual Independence Day Salute concert accompanied by a professional orchestra for multiple ways of celebrating.

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“While we all reflect on America’s promise of freedom and justice and its painful legacy of racial injustice, I invite Chicagoans to commemorate this year’s holiday with family and close friends, connected with our city and people across our country through the healing power of music,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

In Washington D.C., the nation’s capital is still planning to have some celebrations this year, although the National Independence Day Parade has been cancelled. “A Capitol Fourth” will be hosting a pre-recorded 90 minute program on PBS at 8 p.m. on the fourth as opposed to their normal annual live show in the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn.

The White House also released a statement in which they said their national “Salute to America” will take place on the South Lawn and feature music, military demonstrations, and flyovers to honor the nation’s service members and first responders who have been battling this pandemic on the front lines.

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Las Vegas is continuing on with plans of multiple firework displays, including one at the famous Red Rock Resort. The event will also be live streamed on the resorts website and social media pages so that anyone can enjoy the show from the comfort of quarantine. The Red Rock Resort parking lot will also be open for spectators who want to see the display in person with social distancing measures enforced.

Los Angeles in general has been setting off fireworks mysteriously every night amid the massive protests for social justice; the same occurrences have been happening in New York City and other major metropolitans as well. The city itself, however, is still planning to continue on with their annual Independence Day shows, but will likely be reduced to only last for 15 minutes maximum.

Finally, New York City recently got word from Macy’s that the retail giant would be setting off 5-minute firework displays in all five boroughs of the city over multiple nights, starting on June 29th.

“Each display will launch from one or two unannounced land or water-based locations across New York City. The final display sites were chosen because they could safely accommodate the launch and firing of large-scale pyrotechnics,” according to city officials.

Regardless of how you plan to celebrate this year, it’s of the utmost importance that we all collectively continue to listen to the world’s healthcare workers and abide by social distancing measures. If you’re planning on attending a firework show in person that is projected to attract a large crowd, wear a face covering, stand at least six feet apart from everyone, and make sure to sanitize/clean yourself properly after you return home.