President Donald Trump is set to ignite a yearlong patriotic party for America’s 250th birthday with a splashy kickoff in Iowa, as the Associated Press reports. The event, dripping with red-white-and-blue pride, aims to stitch a divided nation together through shared history and values. Leave it to the left to scoff at unity while waving their grievance flags.
Trump’s vision for a grand celebration of the nation’s founding in the form of a “Great American State Fair,” comes to life Thursday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The event features Americana displays, musical performances, and a fireworks extravaganza, with Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” setting the tone. It’s a bold move to rally Americans around their heritage, not the woke rewrite of it.
Iowa, a state that’s backed Trump in the last three elections, was handpicked for its central location and patriotic pulse. Gov. Kim Reynolds signaled the state’s readiness earlier this year, ensuring the fairgrounds will be a fitting stage. Meanwhile, Democrats, per a Gallup poll, show only a third are proud to be American -- shocker.
Ambassador Monica Crowley, Trump’s liaison to America250, calls the Iowa displays “dazzling” and the state a “logical choice.” Her enthusiasm for uniting the country through patriotism is refreshing in an era of endless division. Contrast that with the left’s obsession with tearing down statues and history.
Crowley noted the nation was “torn apart” before the 1976 bicentennial, a time of Vietnam and Watergate scars. She’s optimistic this celebration can heal today’s fractures, much like the bicentennial did. The progressive crowd, though, seems more interested in stoking polarization than celebrating shared values.
“That moment was critical to uniting the country,” Crowley said of the bicentennial’s impact. She hopes this yearlong fest will do the same, focusing on “patriotism, shared values, and civic pride.” Good luck convincing the six-in-10 Americans who, per a June AP-NORC poll, disapprove of Trump’s performance.
The Iowa event will host heavy hitters like Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Expect a night of music, history, and fireworks that scream American exceptionalism. The left, predictably, will call it a waste, as they did with the Army’s 250th anniversary parade.
Trump, speaking at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, promised a “big, big celebration” for the 250th. He even quipped about missing a second term to lead this moment, showing his knack for tying personal legacy to national pride. The man knows how to seize a stage.
Iowa’s role as the kickoff spot underscores its status as a heartland bastion of Trump support. The state’s fairgrounds will transform into a showcase of American history, from the Declaration of Independence’s adoption on July 4, 1776, to today. No doubt, the woke brigade will find something to nitpick.
Crowley sees the 250th as something “all Americans can come together to celebrate.” Her vision of honoring the nation’s past, present, and future is a rebuke to those who’d rather dwell on its flaws. The left’s allergy to patriotism, evident in that Gallup poll, won’t dampen this effort.
The celebration will culminate next year with a grand fair on the National Mall in Washington. It’s a fitting capstone for a year of events meant to remind Americans of their shared roots. Too bad four-in-10 adults, per the AP-NORC poll, might not show up to cheer.
Trump’s push for this celebration comes as Congress, led by Republicans, battles over tax cuts and spending. Democrats’ blanket opposition to the package shows their priorities lie elsewhere -- likely in pandering to the progressive base. Unity? Not their brand.
The 1976 bicentennial followed a dark chapter of national division, yet it managed to rally Americans. Crowley’s hope is that this milestone does the same, cutting through today’s toxic polarization. The odds are tough when Democrats’ pride in America barely registers.
“We’ve had so much division and polarization,” Crowley said, emphasizing the need for civic pride. Her call to bring the country together in Iowa’s heartland is a direct challenge to the left’s grievance culture. They’d rather protest than light a sparkler.
Trump’s Iowa kickoff is more than a party -- it’s a statement. In a nation where only nine-in-10 Republicans feel proud to be American, this celebration aims to reignite what unites us. The woke may roll their eyes, but the heartland is ready to salute.
