President Donald Trump launched the 250th anniversary of American independence on Friday evening with a speech at the Mount Rushmore national monument in South Dakota, declaring that the country’s identity was under “a renewed attack” and warning of “a resurgence of the communist menace in our land.” Speaking beneath the carved faces of four former presidents, he described communism as “the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11,” and linked the alleged threat to “newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life.” The address, delivered on the eve of the 4 July federal holiday, set the tone for a weekend of celebrations that have become entangled with partisan politics and logistical disruptions.

From Washington, the White House presented the speech as a defence of American exceptionalism and a necessary warning against domestic radicalism. Trump and his allies have in recent weeks repeatedly cast the electoral gains of left-wing Democratic candidates as a communist advance, a framing that, according to Republican strategists, is intended to mobilise the party’s base ahead of November’s midterm elections. Democratic leaders and several state governors, however, accused the president of hijacking a traditionally unifying national milestone for personal and electoral gain. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, used his own Independence Day address to counter that American ideals “are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them.”

The celebrations have been shaped by two parallel organisational structures. A bipartisan commission, America250, was established by Congress in 2016 to coordinate events, but after returning to office Trump created a rival body, Freedom 250, which assumed control of the main federal festivities in Washington. According to a Democratic congressional report, the shift diverted resources and turned the anniversary into a vehicle for political patronage. The resulting confusion, combined with a record-breaking heatwave across the eastern United States, led to the cancellation of the capital’s Independence Day parade and the temporary closure of the “Great American State Fair,” which drew sparse crowds and widespread mockery for its empty pavilions. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warnings for the region, with temperatures expected to reach 41°C.

The 250th anniversary was originally conceived as a moment of national reflection, but viewed from European capitals, the events have instead exposed the depth of American polarisation. Trump is scheduled to deliver a second, longer speech on Saturday evening from the National Mall, followed by what organisers describe as the largest fireworks display in the country’s history. The president has said he will speak at length despite the heat, “just to show that I can do anything.” With the midterm elections four months away, the political fallout from the anniversary is likely to intensify, as both parties seek to define the meaning of the national celebration for their own electoral purposes.