Trump says US identity is under renewed attack ahead of 250th birthday

MOUNT RUSHMORE: US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States was facing a fresh challenge to its national identity, using a speech at Mount Rushmore on the eve of America’s 250th birthday to target what he described as domestic radicals and extremists.

Speaking before the monument bearing the carved faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, Trump praised the country’s history, its leaders and what he presented as American exceptionalism. He said the anniversary came at a time when the country’s identity was being challenged.

Trump said there had been “As we approach this magnificent anniversary, we see our American identity under a renewed attack.“

He also said there was "a resurgence of the communist menace in our land."

Speech focused on domestic politics

The remarks were in line with a message Trump has repeated in recent weeks as the anti-establishment wing of the Democratic Party gained momentum in US primary contests. Trump has portrayed the rise of the left before November’s midterm elections as a major danger to the country.

In another passage of his speech, Trump said recent years had brought “an undeniable attempt to change this exceptional character, to beat the American spirit out of us, alienate us from our history.”

He also said, "You do not have to be born here, but you do have to love what we have built."

The speech’s setting reflected Trump’s habit of placing himself at the centre of national occasions. His supporters have introduced legislation seeking to add his likeness to Mount Rushmore alongside the four former presidents already depicted there.

July Fourth plans and criticism

On July 4, Trump is due to hold a campaign-style event on the National Mall in Washington, with military jet flyovers and what he has described as the world’s biggest fireworks display.

The anniversary is unfolding in a sharply divided political climate. Trump’s approval ratings are near historic lows, driven in large part by the war in Iran and the rising cost of living. Democratic critics have also attacked his immigration policies, his family’s expanding wealth and his efforts to widen presidential authority.

Trump’s efforts to shape the 250th anniversary celebrations around his political image have also faced setbacks. A Trump-linked group, Freedom 250, has assumed control of many events from the bipartisan America250 organisation, a change that has prompted many people to avoid major festivities.

A Great American State Fair in Washington, intended to mark the anniversary, reportedly drew thin crowds and ridicule over empty booths. A record heat wave also kept visitors away, although Trump said he was not concerned by the temperatures.

Referring to his plans for Independence Day, Trump said on Wednesday “On July 4 it's going to be approximately 107 degrees (41°C) out, and I'm going to go and I'm going to make a really long speech — just to show that I can do anything.”

Public mood

As the United States marks 250 years that have included slavery and freedom, civil war and world wars, surveys suggested a gloomy national mood about whether the country is achieving the promise of the American Dream.

A recent Quinnipiac University Poll found that 61% of Americans believed the United States was not living up to the ideals set out in the Declaration of Independence. Views split sharply along party lines, with most Republicans saying it was, and most Democrats saying it was not.

Amy Kimaara, a 49-year-old special education teacher in Los Angeles, told AFP, "The Fourth of July really is a moment of freedom, but I have to be honest, in these political times, it hasn't been as exciting to me."