Trump kicks off Great American State Fair celebrating America 250: ‘America is back!’
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President Donald Trump kicked off the Great American State Fair on Wednesday evening, praising America’s success under his leadership and likening his political movement to the American Revolution in a speech on the National Mall.
Addressing the crowd gathered in the nation’s capital for the inauguration ceremony, Trump said, “Just like the patriots of 1776, over the last 17 months we have taken back power from the hands of a distant political class.” “They’re trying to take it back, but it’s not going to happen. We’ve regained our sovereignty, we’ve regained our freedom, we’ve restored our prosperity, and we’ve saved our country in every respect. Once again, we’re prioritizing this thing called America.”
Trump approached Lee Greenwood, who sang “God Bless the USA” as part of the opening ceremony of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The president’s remarks were preceded by military flyovers, including B-2 bombers and F-35 stealth fighter jets, as well as comments from Trump Cabinet members and music by the US Marine Band.
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“America is back,” Trump told the roaring crowd. “We are the hottest country in the world. Everyone respects us. Nobody laughs at us anymore.”
Participants hold American flag posters during the Great American State Fair Kickoff Celebration on the National Mall in Washington, DC on June 24, 2026. The Great American State Fair runs through July 10 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
Trump used his remarks to tout improvements in the nation’s capital, saying homeless encampments and graffiti have been removed, more than 50 monuments and monuments have been repaired and beautified, and dozens of statues have been cleaned since returning to office. Trump also noted that repairs at Union Station, Meridian Hill Park, Lafayette Square and the Reflecting Pool were “horribly vandalized by thugs.”
“Vandals did it,” Trump said of the Reflecting Pool. “They have largely been caught and are being prosecuted. We cannot let this happen to our country.”
Trump also previewed several projects related to the anniversary, including what he described as a new ballroom at the White House, a “victory arc” near Arlington Cemetery, the National Garden of American Heroes in West Potomac Park and a “Spirit of ’76” exhibit honoring figures from the American Revolution in Freedom Plaza.
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Trump framed the nation’s 250th birthday as both a celebration of America’s founding and the launching pad for what he calls “America’s new golden age.”
Preparations for the Freedom 250 Great American State Fair continue on June 22, 2026, at the National Mall in Washington, DC. The fair will fill the mall from June 25 through July 10 with 150 exhibits from all 56 states and territories. ((Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images))
“This anniversary is a time to be proud of our past,” Trump said. “But this is also a time to lift our perspective, broaden our goals, and raise our expectations of what America can be.”
“With all this being said, the best is yet to come,” he added.
The president was joined at the event by House Speaker Mike Johnson, several Cabinet officials and administration figures, and what Trump described as “countless” members of Congress. Trump called the inauguration “a very special night.”
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“It is my honor to officially kick off the celebration with the Great American State Fair,” Trump said. “It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to be incredible.”
Trump said the fair, which runs from Wednesday to July 10, will showcase all 50 states and six U.S. territories and include military flyovers, patriotic music, high-tech demonstrations, exhibits, a FIFA fan zone and a “good old-fashioned rodeo.”
An archway across the street from the 33-foot “Liberty 250” Ferris wheel during final preparations for the Great American State Fair on National Property on Monday, June 22, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Al Drago for Washington Post via Getty Images)
“You’re going to get a very, very small glimpse of it tonight,” Trump said after the flyovers. “How good is our Air Force?”
Trump also previewed what he said would be a massive Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall and told supporters he would return to speak as the country marks its 250th anniversary with “the largest fireworks display in the history of the world.” He also noted other anniversary events, including the Patriot Games, a competition for top high school athletes, and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix race held around the Capitol and down Pennsylvania Avenue.
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Trump closed by calling the anniversary a celebration of the generations of Americans who built and defended the country, citing the Founding Fathers, Patrick Henry, the Revolutionary War, the settlement of the West, the construction of railroads and skyscrapers, two world wars and the space race.
“This is our legacy. This is our history, and this is America’s destiny to be the greatest, most incredible country to ever grace the world,” Trump said. “We are one people, one nation, marching towards a glorious future under our great American flag.”
“Happy birthday America,” he added.
