President Donald Trump launched a yearlong celebration of America's 250th anniversary Thursday evening at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, marking the start of what organizers call the most ambitious patriotic commemoration in the nation's history. The festivities, featuring musical performances and fireworks, aim to unite a deeply polarized country ahead of the July 4, 2026 milestone.
The Iowa kickoff comes as Congress passed Trump's sweeping tax and spending package, which faced unanimous Democratic opposition12. The timing underscores the challenge facing America250, the nonpartisan group organizing the celebrations, as it seeks to bridge partisan divides through patriotic events across all 50 states31.
Recent polling highlights the nation's fractured relationship with patriotism itself. A Gallup poll shows only about a third of Democrats say they are proud to be American, compared with about 9 in 10 Republicans31. Meanwhile, a June AP-NORC poll found that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults approve of Trump's performance as president, while about 6 in 10 disapprove12.
"We've had so much division and so much polarization over the last many decades, but certainly over the last few years, that to be able to bring the country together to celebrate America's 250th birthday through patriotism, shared values and a renewed sense of civic pride, to be able to do that in the center of the country, is incredibly important," said U.S. Ambassador Monica Crowley, Trump's liaison to America25031.
The evening featured performances by Lee Greenwood, whose song "God Bless the USA" has become a staple at Trump events, along with appearances by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins12. Iowa was chosen for its central location and Trump's strong support in the state, which voted for him in three consecutive elections12.
Crowley drew parallels to the nation's last major birthday celebration in 1976, which followed the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. "That moment was critical to uniting the country and moving forward, and I am very optimistic and hopeful that the yearlong celebration that we're about to launch will do the same thing in this present moment," she told the Associated Press12.
The celebrations will culminate next year with a fair on the National Mall in Washington, according to a White House official23. Trump had originally proposed hosting the "Great American State Fair" in Iowa, but organizers moved the main event to the nation's capital while honoring his initial vision with Thursday's kickoff3.
