On the evening of July 3, 2025, President Donald Trump returned to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines to launch a yearlong celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The event, set against the sweltering heat of a 90-plus degree Fahrenheit day, was more than just a kickoff to the Semiquincentennial; it was a stage for Trump to tout his administration’s recent legislative victory and outline his vision for the nation’s upcoming landmark festivities.
The highlight of the evening was Trump’s celebration of the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a sweeping tax and spending bill that Congress approved just hours before the event. Trump described the legislation as "the one big beautiful bill to make America great again," promising to sign it on July 4th during a White House picnic, where stealth bombers and fighter jets, recently involved in airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, would fly overhead. The president hailed the bill as delivering "the strongest border on Earth, the strongest economy on Earth, the strongest military on Earth," ensuring the United States remains the world’s preeminent power.
The legislation includes significant tax breaks, such as extending the 2017 tax cuts, allowing overtime pay to be listed in tax deductions, and increasing estate tax exemptions—moves aimed to benefit farmers and retirees. It also ramps up funding for immigration enforcement and cuts healthcare and food assistance for low-income Americans. However, the bill has sparked controversy. A Congressional Budget Office estimate projected that the Senate version could leave 11.8 million people uninsured by 2034 and add $3.4 trillion to the national deficit. Democrats criticized the bill for slashing social safety nets, while some Republicans expressed concerns about the growing deficit.
Despite these criticisms, Trump boasted about various achievements during his speech, including the declining price of eggs and gas, the drop in southern border crossings, and successful military strikes against Iran. Though he claimed border crossings had dropped to near zero in June 2025, Department of Homeland Security data showed 6,070 apprehensions at the southwest border that month. Notably, Trump also floated the idea of legislation to create pathways for farmworkers without legal status to stay in the country, provided farmers vouch for them—a proposal reflecting his administration’s complex stance on immigration.
The event drew a few thousand supporters, many sporting Trump paraphernalia like "Make America Great Again" hats and "Ultra MAGA" shirts. The crowd waited for hours in the heat, eagerly anticipating the president’s arrival. Trump addressed the audience from behind thick bulletproof glass, a precautionary measure recalling the attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, just ten days away from the event’s date. When fireworks sounded during his speech, Trump quipped, "It’s only fireworks, I hope. Famous last words," demonstrating a mix of levity and caution.
Beyond the legislative celebration, Trump unveiled plans for the Semiquincentennial festivities scheduled to culminate in the summer of 2026 with a massive fair on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., featuring exhibits from all 50 states. He announced the "Patriot Games," a national athletic competition for high school athletes designed to showcase American skill and sportsmanship. In a surprising twist, Trump suggested hosting UFC matches at the White House, blending traditional patriotism with contemporary spectacle.
U.S. Ambassador Monica Crowley, Trump’s liaison to America250—the nonpartisan group coordinating the anniversary events—introduced the president with an ode that portrayed him as the inheritor of America’s revolutionary spirit. She praised Trump, saying, "He is literally fulfilling the entire job description, and so much more." However, the administration’s approach has drawn scrutiny. The Trump administration has reshaped America250 by installing Fox News and Trump campaign veterans in key positions, while removing some contractors with Democratic ties. This has raised concerns about the politicization of what was intended to be a bipartisan commemoration.
These concerns are heightened by recent cuts to federal cultural institutions. The National Endowment for the Humanities, which traditionally supports local humanities councils and history programs, had its funding drastically reduced. Many councils lost federal grants that had been earmarked for 250th anniversary programming, including community readings of the Declaration of Independence. Gabrielle Lyon, executive director of Illinois Humanities and chair of the Illinois America 250 Commission, lamented that these cuts make it "very hard to understand how we can protect and preserve people’s ability locally to make this mean something for them." The administration has redirected some funds toward President Trump’s patriotic sculpture garden, the National Garden of American Heroes, underscoring a shift in cultural priorities.
At the Smithsonian Institution and other federal cultural bodies, leadership changes and resignations have fueled fears of a narrowing historical narrative. Trump’s April 2025 executive order accused the Smithsonian of promoting "a divisive, race-centered ideology," and in June, Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, resigned shortly after Trump announced her firing on social media. Exhibits once planned to explore diverse American experiences, such as "Many Americas, Many 1776s," have been replaced by campaigns emphasizing unity under traditional patriotic themes.
These developments have sparked debate about how the nation’s history should be commemorated amid deep political divisions. Filmmaker Ken Burns, whose 12-hour documentary on the American Revolution is set to air on PBS in November 2025, emphasized the importance of acknowledging the revolution’s complexities and the country’s enduring divisions. He noted, "The ideas are so big and are not diminished by freely acknowledging not just the violence of the revolution, but the divisions in the country throughout our history." Others worry that the anniversary could become a battleground for partisan narratives rather than a unifying celebration.
Nevertheless, organizers and supporters remain hopeful. Rosie Rios, chair of America250, expressed enthusiasm for the White House’s support and the involvement of leaders at all levels. Plans for the upcoming year include patriotic drone light shows, state fairs transformed into "patriotic epicenters," and concessions selling "freedom fries" and "liberty corn dogs." The most patriotic state fair will be recognized by President Trump at the 2026 festivities on the National Mall. Additionally, a grand ceremony will feature the unfurling of "the largest U.S. flag in history," carried by 500 flag bearers including astronauts, Olympians, and Medal of Honor recipients.
As the nation embarks on this milestone celebration, the challenge remains to reconcile the past with the present. The Semiquincentennial offers a chance to reflect on American ideals and history, but also highlights the fractures that persist. Whether this yearlong event will bridge divides or deepen them remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly marks a significant chapter in the ongoing story of the United States.
