Trump hails US, blasts 'communists' in 250th anniversary speech

Donald Trump marked the United States' 250th anniversary on Saturday with a speech on the National Mall, proclaiming it the "crowning achievement" of human history. Despite the patriotic occasion, Trump used the platform to renew his attacks on domestic opponents, whom he characterized as communists.

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For two and a half centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history.

The event, delayed by storms that forced crowds to evacuate Washington, saw Trump claim the U.S. was "prouder than ever" under his presidency. While he had promoted the occasion as a major political rally, the 80-year-old Republican largely adhered to a traditional patriotic script. He honored World War II and Korean and Vietnam War veterans, drawing parallels between those conflicts and his fight against "communists" at home.

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Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the word, only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We’re not going to let it happen.

Trump has intensified this message ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, particularly after the left wing of the Democratic Party saw success in primary victories. He described the perceived communist threat as a "cancer" that must be "cut out." The president also highlighted recent military actions against Iran and Venezuela, asserting that Washington had "wiped out" Tehran's military. The speech, lasting about 45 minutes, was followed by a large fireworks display, which Trump stated would be the world's largest.

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It’s like a cancer, you’ve got to cut it out.

Americans endured a severe heatwave across the eastern U.S. to celebrate the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Temperatures in the capital reached a record 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius), with 160 million people under extreme weather warnings. Inclement weather also disrupted fireworks in New York and caused evacuations at events in Philadelphia and Boston. The elements also threatened Trump's speech, as tens of thousands were ordered to leave the National Mall due to approaching thunderstorms, leading to some chaos as attendees resisted evacuation.

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We love Trump, we loved his speech. He went through our great history and had a word for the veterans that were here. He makes us proud to be American.