US celebrates 250th birthday as Trump warns of enemy within

Millions of Americans celebrated the nation's 250th birthday on Saturday, a landmark occasion overshadowed by deep political divisions and a brutal heatwave. President Donald Trump aimed to put his stamp on the festivities, featuring a super-sized fireworks display on the National Mall and an unusual campaign-style rally.

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It’s going to be approximately 107 degrees out, and I’m going to go and I’m going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything.

Trump, who recently turned 80, delivered a speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, praising US exceptionalism and past leaders. However, he also warned of an "renewed attack" on America's identity from domestic "radicals and extremists," specifically mentioning a "resurgence of the communist menace." This theme has been a frequent focus of the Republican leader's rhetoric.

The national holiday coincided with extreme weather, as tens of millions of Americans sweltered under furnace-like temperatures. The National Weather Service warned that dozens of local temperature records could be broken, with temperatures in many places surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) and high humidity pushing the heat index as high as 115 degrees. This heat wreaked havoc on planned block parties and barbecues across the country.

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We still want to celebrate the country and be patriotic and it’s exciting.

In Washington, the Independence Day parade was canceled due to expected temperatures reaching 102F (39C) with a heat index soaring to 110-115F. Despite the sweltering conditions, Trump remained undeterred, stating his intention to deliver a long speech to demonstrate his resilience. Meanwhile, some citizens, like teacher Patrick Thompson in Alexandria, Virginia, planned to celebrate patriotically with barbecues but expressed a sense of unease, describing the mood as "strange" due to the political climate and the nature of the 250th-anniversary celebrations.

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But it’s so weird because it’s got this… strange mar over it because of Trump and just like the 250 thing that turns out to not be what anyone hoped.