WASHINGTON — President Trump declared “the best is yet to come” for America at a rally Tuesday night kicking off festivities commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“We are the ones who are carrying forward the light of Western civilization,” Trump said at the Freedom 250 event on the National Mall, describing the US as “young by comparison some but superior to any nation that’s ever been built, no matter how many years it took.”
“This is the very beginning of the Golden Age of America. We’re in the Golden Age,” the president continued. “There has never been an age like this.
“This anniversary is a time to be proud of our past. But it is also a time to lift our sights, expand our ambitions, and raise our expectations of what America can be … the best is yet to come.”
The event near the Washington Monument marked the opening of the 16-day “Great American State Fair.”
Earlier this month, Trump announced that he would hold a MAGA-style rally after several artists and bands pulled out of the previously planned concert, claiming to have been misled about the president’s involvement or citing other grievances.
The US Marine Band, the Army’s rock band, Downrange, “America’s Tenor” Christopher Macchio and country singer Lee Greenwood provided entertainment for the crowd of thousands that attended the event.
Red, white and blue F-16 Vipers, a B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber and F-35 Lightning II fighter jets performed flyovers as well.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy — one of several Trump administration officials who spoke at the rally — praised the military bands for stepping in to perform, calling them “way better than those libtards that canceled on us.”
Trump touted the nation’s history and his second-term achievements, including provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill, his immigration crackdown and the memorandum of understanding he believes will end the Iran war, throughout his 30-minute speech.
“Today, we have the largest economy on Earth. We have the strongest military on Earth. We have the most powerful technology on Earth. We have the greatest culture on Earth. And above all, we have the greatest people on Earth,” Trump said.
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“Tonight, as we stand on the edge of our 250th year of independence, I am thrilled to declare that America is back!”
