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Under blistering heat and a scaled-back itinerary, a divided America marked its 250th Fourth of July celebration in Washington, D.C.
U.S. President Donald Trump has reshaped the country, he has left his mark on everything from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington to the role of America on the world stage.
On the sweltering streets of the capital, thousands of Trump supporters lined up as much to celebrate their president as to celebrate the 250th birthday.
“I love my president because he is following the agenda he promised us. He’s closed the border,” said Norma Holm from Indiana.
Holm and some friends are part of a group called Front Row Joes, who travel the country and line the front row at Trump rallies.
Members of the Trump supporting group Front Row Joes gather to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday (Marie Morrissey/CBC)
The group wore red, white and blue, carried flags and sparkled jackets. They found a shady patch of sidewalk near the National Mall and talked about the unifying force a celebration like this should be.
“It’s uniting everybody, no matter what your political views are, because, yes, it is divided right now. I’m here to support the president because he’s the only one that’s really doing something to improve our life,” said Karen Surgeson from Monroe, Mich.
There was supposed to be a parade, but that was cancelled due to the heat. That wasn’t the only change in plans. A 16-day State Fair event on the Washington Mall was heralded by the U.S. president as “the most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen.”
It drew a fraction of the people organizers expected. Cable news coverage showed vast empty fields with a handful of people milling about. Organizers cut the hours back, citing the heat. On Friday, 44 people were treated for heat-related illnesses.
Trump promised to renovate the iconic reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial ahead of the Independence Day celebrations. That turned into a month of headlines about algae and damaged liners, a job handed to a Trump ally and accusations that Trump critics had sabotaged the pool.
Cancelled performances
Rap artist Young MC, country musician Martina McBride and former hair metal singer Brett Michaels of the band Poison pulled out of a July 4th concert on the Washington Mall, saying the White House’s plans to celebrate America’s 250th birthday are not what they signed up for.
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of,” wrote Michaels in a note to his fans.
As part of the 250th celebrations, the Trump administration unveiled a new U.S. passport featuring a photo of Trump.
Trump’s team is also trying to push through a new $250 bill with his face on it, even though federal law bars printing U.S. money adorned with the image of a living person. Still, Trump’s allies in Congress have introduced legislation that would make an exception.
Daniel French of Delaware came to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the Fourth of July and Trump. (Peter Armstrong/CBC)
Daniel French rode an electric three wheeler adorned in Trump merch and a We the People flag flying behind him.
He says there may be division in the country right now, but none of that is Trump’s fault.
“The people that are on the other side, you know, who aren’t looking forward to Make America Great, there’s something wrong with them, mentally or something,” he said.
‘Really long’ speech
Trump has rebuffed any criticism about the celebrations. When the musicians dropped out, Trump said he would be the headliner. At an event earlier in the week he vowed to speak for more than an hour in spite of the heat.
On the eve of the party, he spoke at Mount Rushmore. Before that speech, Trump posted a video that he narrated, saying, “I will be the greatest president for many, many years to come.” Then a 3D graphic of Mount Rushmore emerges with Trump’s likeness carved into the rock alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
WATCH | Trump promises ‘really long’ Fourth of July speech:
Trump promises ‘really long’ Fourth of July speech despite heat warning
U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to deliver a ‘really long’ Fourth of July speech despite many celebrations for America’s 250 birthday in Washington have already been cancelled due to severe heat.
Trump used a marquee address from Mount Rushmore to lash out at his enemies.
“Our American ancestors did not shed their blood … just so that a band of thieves, radicals, and lunatics could come in and loot, pillage our nation,” he said.
And therein lies the reality of American political discourse. Even or perhaps especially on a day like the Fourth of July, there are endless recriminations, countless accusations and for all the talk of celebrating the country there really isn’t much unity.
But to walk through the crowds on D.C.’s overheated streets, the division is easy to miss. On this 250th anniversary of American independence, the crowd here is united even if the country is not.
