President Donald Trump officially kicked off a yearlong celebration to mark 250 years of American independence. He opened the celebrations while speaking at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.
President Donald Trump in Iowa
The president spoke in a state that voted for him in each of the last three elections.
“We will be orchestrating what we’re calling the Great American State Fair, and it will start right here in Iowa,” Trump said during his speech televised by Fox News.
The president announced that America250 programming will be brought to state fairgrounds across the country, culminating in a “giant patriotic festival” on the National Mall next summer with exhibits from all 50 states. Trump also said there will be a youth sporting event he’s calling the Patriot Games, featuring top high school athletes from all 50 states. He claimed it will be televised and led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
He also floated the idea of hosting a UFC event at the White House.
“Dana’s gonna do it, Dana’s great, one of a kind,” Trump said, referring to UFC President Dana White. “We’re gonna have a UFC fight, championship fight. Full fight, like 20-25,000 people.”
Celebrating 250 years of America
The president signed an executive order just days after taking office, establishing a White House task force to plan the country’s 250th celebration. Trump chairs the task force, which includes most of the president’s cabinet.
The president also recently held a controversial tax-funded military parade on his birthday last month, celebrating the Army’s 250th birthday. They have launched the website America250 featuring details on ongoing and upcoming events, along with a look at American history.
Previous celebrations
America’s leaders have consistently found ways to celebrate key milestones in the nation’s history.
For the country’s 100th birthday, former President Ulysses S. Grant held the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, with ten million people visiting over a six-month period.
America’s 150th birthday was celebrated in Philadelphia with a World’s Fair-style exposition attended by former President Calvin Coolidge. Several million visitors passed through the city, with the highlight being an 80-foot replica of the Liberty Bell that served as the entrance gate. The bicentennial in 1976 was the largest celebration to date, with festivities across the country, including a major event in New York. The celebrations also featured a visit from Queen Elizabeth II and a re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party.
