Trump wrecked America's 250th in DC, but other blue cities will save it

[marmar]

Trump wrecked America’s 250th in DC, but other blue cities will save it
Christina Aguilera, Chris Stapleton and Jelly Roll — real stars — headline July Fourth parties in liberal towns

By Amanda Marcotte
Senior Writer
Published July 3, 2026 6:45AM (EDT)


(Salon) Donald Trump’s well-documented ability to destroy everything he touches has come for what should have been the easiest of tasks: making the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence fun. If there is one thing the world’s oldest democracy is good at, it’s throwing Independence Day parties, hosting outdoor concerts, and filling out state fairs with charmingly schlocky entertainment and ice cream stands. Producing the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., was considered such a layup for the Trump-led Freedom 250 organizers that it’s no surprise Fox News, eager to showcase a MAGA win, set up a broadcast tower, seemingly intent on giving the event wall-to-wall coverage for its full 16-day run.

As anyone who has been on social media can attest, this was a mistake. Clip after clip has gone viral of Fox News hosts claiming huge crowds in front of a live backdrop showing that few are bothering to show up. The initial roster of musical performers, which mostly consisted of nostalgia acts from the 1980s and 1990s, dropped out, leaving Trump to insist his mere presence would be enough to draw massive crowds. Instead, NBC News estimated that about 1,000 people attended the opening ceremony, far short of the 45,000 the president pretended had swarmed to hear his usual tired, whining speech. A poorly constructed plywood-and-vinyl version of the 166-foot stone arch he has proposed building as a monument to himself was hastily erected — and immediately started falling apart. The only Trump-driven project that seems to be drawing the crowds is his disastrous repainting of the Reflecting Pool, which people are visiting to mock, resulting in the arrests of at least seven.

....(snip)....

I live in Philadelphia, so I’m admittedly biased, but the shining star this weekend is the concert being held at the famous “Rocky steps” in front of the art museum, which are adjacent to where the Declaration was signed, and features headliners like Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott (whose new album is getting rave reviews) and the Roots. In Los Angeles, the Smashing Pumpkins will be joined by headliner Chris Stapleton, which is a special thumb in the eye to MAGA, because he’s a country music superstar. Things look even worse for MAGA in Milwaukee, where the city’s SummerFest is being headlined on Saturday by Jelly Roll. The self-proclaimed “dumb redneck” has a lot of right-wing fans, but he will be spending his Independence Day in a city that went nearly 70% for Kamala Harris in 2024.

....(snip)....

But because Trump is falsely insisting that Freedom 250 is a success, the MAGA outrage machine has already kicked off the phase of a Trump failure where anyone and everyone but the boss himself is blamed. Conspiracy theories about invisible “vandals” destroying the paint job on the Reflecting Pool appears to be just the beginning. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hollered about “ingrates” who protested at a Thursday event for the National Guard. Actor-turned-Fox News pundit Dean Cain posted a picture of a mostly-empty state fair, and then responded to critical replies by saying “Any negative reactions to this post expose the haters as anti-American. Seek help,” — even as he continued to see “thousands of people” that are objectively not in the photo. Fox News host Emily Compagno also attacked the many states who refused to finance booths at the Great American State Fair, whining that Trump is being “discarded” and “not included,” and arguing that governors should be “disqualified” from “higher office” for this perceived slight. ....................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/07/03/trump-wrecked-americas-250th-in-dc-but-other-blue-cities-will-save-it/