To kick off celebrations of America’s founding, Trump travels to its heartland
President Trump will deliver a speech in Iowa Thursday night launching a year of “America250” events for the country’s 250th anniversary while Republican leadership races to pass his “One Big Beautiful Bill” through the House.
The event will be at the Iowa State Fairgrounds and is touted as “A New Era Of American Greatness” by the commission organizing it. Trump is expected to speak at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Trump is expected to announce more details about proposals he floated on the campaign trail, like high school athletes competing in “Patriot Games” and a “Great American State Fair” featuring pavilions from all 50 states that “will showcase the glory of every state in the Union, promote pride in our history and put forth innovative visions for America’s future.”
But the speech will also be used as a platform for the president to tout his second-term policy agenda, including a sweeping tax and policy measure that is projected to increase the budget deficit while extending tax cuts that Trump put in place in his first term. The package also makes cuts to health care and social services.
Trump also said he would be discussing his trade agenda, “especially as it relates to Farmers.” Trump’s steep and broad tariff plans have put him at odds with farmers who rely on trade but have also been a part of the president’s base. The administration set a deadline of next week for countries around the world to propose new trade deals if they want to stave off steeper tariffs on their goods to the U.S.
Just how much policy versus pomp the event will have remains to be seen.
As part of the planning for the semiquincentennial anniversary, Trump signed an executive order in January creating a task force to plan for America’s 250th birthday next year.
The order also revives Trump’s call for a National Garden of American Heroes, a statuary park honoring 250 figures ranging from Presidents Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy to basketball star Kobe Bryant, architect Frank Lloyd Wright and civil rights leader C.T. Vivian.
The yearlong celebration will be overseen by a president who has wielded some of the most power over the federal government since its founding nearly a quarter of a millennium ago. In the months since he took office, Trump has put the separation of powers to the test, as he seeks to consolidate power within the executive branch.
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