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The United States Semiquincentennial[a] was the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. Festivities marked various events leading up to the 250th Independence Day, July 4, 2026.
Official festivities include commemorative coinage, UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, Sail250, a Times Square Ball drop event, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, and the world's largest-ever fireworks display (also held on the National Mall).[3][4] Part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was held across the United States, with matches in Philadelphia and Houston on the date of the semiquincentennial.
Official planning for the celebrations began in 2016 with the congressional, non-partisan United States Semiquincentennial Commission (America250). In 2025, federal resources were diverted to the president Donald Trump–aligned White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday (Freedom 250) to promote and plan new events. Celebrations began with the United States Army 250th Anniversary Parade on June 14, 2025,[1] with "America250" events formally starting on July 3, 2025.[5][1] Several official events were criticized for being politicized and lacking financial transparency. Many celebrations were low-attendance, with some being disrupted by a record-breaking heat wave.[6][7]
The Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, voted for the independence of the United Colonies by passing the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776.[8] The Declaration of Independence, mainly written by Committee of Five member Thomas Jefferson, was proclaimed on July 4, the date on which the anniversary of independence is observed.[9]
There were no major government-sponsored 50th anniversary observances on July 4, 1826, which was the day that Founding Fathers and former presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died. In 1876, the United States organized nationwide centennial observances centered on the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia,[10] in 1926, a Sesquicentennial Exposition was held in Philadelphia, and in 1976, United States Bicentennial observances were held throughout the country.[10]
The United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act of 2016 directed the United States government to issue commemorative coins and postage stamps, and commission appropriately named naval vessels, in advance of the semiquincentennial.[11] In addition, specific activities—both officially organized and independently created—were planned. The legislation specifically directed the organization of events "in locations of historical significance to the United States" going on to list Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, and Charleston, South Carolina, as "leading cities".[12]
The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 allowed the United States Mint to redesign any coins in 2026.[13] It called for a series of five designs for the quarter, including one depicting women's contributions to independence.[14] 2025 changes by the second Trump administration ignored recommendations by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and removed coins celebrating abolition, women's suffrage and the civil rights movement as part of a campaign against "wokeness".[15]
America's Potluck was a nationwide communal meal event on July 5, 2026, the day after the semiquincentennial. Organized by the America250 Utah Commission and adopted across all 50 states and Puerto Rico,[16] the initiative invited neighbors, families and community groups to host or attend potluck meals to celebrate the anniversary.[17][18]
Plans for the casting of a new public bell are being coordinated by the National Bell Festival. The bell will honor 250 years of women's contributions to U.S. history,[19] and will lead nationwide ringing tributes during the celebrations.[20]
Celebrations were organized by two main organizations at the federal level: the non-partisan congressional America250 Commission created in 2016 and backed by a nonprofit; and the White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday, chaired by Donald Trump and established via an executive order in 2025.[1]
The America 250 Civics Education Coalition developed civics education programming to celebrate the semiquincentennial. The nonprofit America First Policy Institute led the coalition of more than 40 conservative organizations, including Turning Point USA, the Heritage Foundation, and Hillsdale College, with oversight from the Department of Education.[21]
2011年、非営利団体USA250がフィラデルフィアに設立され、アメリカ合衆国建国250周年記念行事に対する連邦政府の支援を働きかけ、フィラデルフィアを記念行事の開催都市として確立した。2014年、フィラデルフィア市議会は、公園・レクリエーション・文化問題委員会の公聴会を命じ、2026年のアメリカ合衆国建国250周年記念行事の開催における「フィラデルフィアの影響と実現可能性」などを調査した。[ 23 ] [ 24 ]その後、アメリカ合衆国建国250周年記念委員会は、2016年7月22日に制定されたPub. L. 114–196 (text) (PDF) 、130 Stat. 685（「2016年アメリカ合衆国建国250周年記念委員会法」）により設立され、アメリカ合衆国大統領バラク・オバマが署名した。[25] この法律はPub. L. 114–196 ( text ) ( PDF ) 、130 Stat . 685により改正された。 L. 116–282 (テキスト) (PDF) 、130 Stat. 685 、 2020年12月31日制定、委員会が議会の資金を受け入れること、委員会に最高裁判所の判事を追加すること、およびその他の技術的な変更を行うことを許可する。[ 26 ]
2017年11月15日、米国内務省は、委員会事務局として機能し、全国的な記念行事の組織を主導する非営利法人を求める提案依頼書を発行した。 [ 27 ]アメリカ戦場信託が委員会の非営利パートナーとして指名され、議会への報告書の作成と記念行事のための資金調達の支援を担当する事務局としての役割を担うことになった。当時の内務長官ライアン・ジンケは、「同信託は資金調達と注目度の高い記念行事の運営において卓越した実績があり、その専門知識は米国建国250周年記念行事の計画に非常に貴重なものとなるだろう」と述べた。[ 28 ]
大手プライベートエクイティ不動産ファンドであるエクウスのCEO兼社長のダニエル・ディレラは、2018年4月にセミクインセンテニアル委員会の委員長に任命され、連邦議会議員、民間人、連邦政府職員からなる32名の委員を率いた。 [ 29 ]委員会は、設立後最初の2年以内に大統領と議会への勧告を含む報告書を作成する任務を負った。委員会は、革命だけでなく、250周年までの米国の歴史全体を観察および記念する。
2018 年 11 月 16 日、米国建国 250 周年記念委員会の 33 名のメンバーがフィラデルフィアの独立記念館で宣誓を行い、最初の組織会議を開催し、建国 250 周年記念式典の計画と組織化のための 8 年間の活動を開始しました。ディレラ氏は、このグループが年に 3 ～ 4 回会合を開く予定だと推定しました。[ 30 ]新しい委員会は、委員長のディレラ氏を含む 16 人の民間人、8 人の連邦議会議員、9 人の連邦政府職員で構成されていました。[ 31 ]会議の前日、米国独立革命の娘たちは委員会と提携し、シュイルキル川沿いのトレイルに沿って「愛国者の道」を紹介する植樹式を行いました。プロジェクトの主催者は、市からバレーフォージまでのトレイル沿いに 250 本の新しい木を植える予定です。[ 30 ] 2018 年 10 月に非営利パートナーに指名された後、米国戦場信託は委員会の運営に必要な資金とスタッフのサポート、および初期の法的サポートを提供しました。[ 32 ]
2021年7月、America250 Foundationはウェブサイトとマーケティングキャンペーンを公開した。当初は4つの「主要都市」の4,559か所以上の広告と、その夏にComcast NBCUniversalネットワークで放映された公共サービス広告で構成されていた。広告は「ニューヨークのタイムズスクエアやリンカーントンネルからフィラデルフィアのウォルト・ホイットマン橋まで」掲示され、キャンペーンのソーシャルメディアアカウントにもオリジナルコンテンツが公開された。[ 33 ]
2022年7月、ジョー・バイデン大統領は、元米国財務長官のロージー・リオスを米国建国250周年記念委員会の委員長に指名した。ダン・ディレラの後任であるリオスは、2018年1月11日に同委員会に初めて任命された。ディレラは引き続き委員を務める。[ 34 ] 2022年10月3日、リオスはCEOのジョー・ダニエルズが辞任したことを発表した。ニューヨーク市の9/11メモリアル博物館から来たダニエルズは、アメリカ250のCEOを1年間務めていた。[ 35 ]
2024年8月1日、建国250周年記念委員会は、ジョージ・W・ブッシュ元大統領とバラク・オバマ元大統領、そしてそれぞれの配偶者であるローラ・ブッシュ元ファーストレディとミシェル・オバマ元ファーストレディが、委員会の名誉共同議長を務めることを発表した。[ 36 ]
2025年までに、トランプは超党派の議会組織であるAmerica250をより支配するようになったとして批判された。彼はフォックスニュースのプロデューサー、アリエル・アベルゲルとトランプ陣営の幹部をリーダーに据え、民主党と関係のある請負業者を解雇し、保守系組織のPragerUと提携して祝賀行事の教育資料を提供し、America250を彼の2人の息子が出演する暗号通貨イベントと提携させた。[ 37 ]また、同委員会は保守系組織のMoms for Libertyと提携し、トランプの集会でその「America250」ブランドを使用することを許可した。[ 38 ]トランプの顔と「America250」のロゴが入った巨大な横断幕が、ワシントンDCの労働省本部のセオドア・ルーズベルトの横に掲げられた。 [ 39 ]委員会の民主党議員全員がリオスとアベルゲルに宛てた書簡には、「残念ながら、最近のAmerica250が資金提供し、ブランド化したイベントは党派的であり、国家として私たちを団結させるというAmerica250の目的と使命に役立っていない」と書かれていた。[ 40 ] 2025年9月、委員会はアベルゲルを解雇した。ウォール・ストリート・ジャーナルの情報筋によると、彼はトランプを称える方向へプログラムの方向性を誘導しようとしたという。[ 41 ]
2025年末までに、America250への1000万ドルの資金がFreedom 250の「Freedom Trucks」に流用された。2026年初頭、ボニー・ワトソン・コールマン下院議員は、America250が議会で割り当てられた1億5000万ドルのうち2500万ドルしか受け取っておらず、残りがトランプ寄りのFreedom 250に再配分されることを懸念していると述べた。[ 42 ] 250委員会は、全米の学生にアメリカが自分たちにとって何を意味するのかを尋ねる「アメリカのフィールドトリップ」や、全国的なボランティア活動「America Gives」など、当初のプログラムを継続するのに十分な資金があると述べた。[ 43 ]
ドナルド・トランプは2024年の大統領選挙運動中、「アメリカ建国250周年記念ホワイトハウス特別委員会」というホワイトハウス特別委員会を組織し、記念日を祝う「壮大な誕生日パーティー」を開催すると公約した。[ 44 ]この特別委員会は、トランプと彼の政治任用者が議長を務めるホワイトハウス主導の「タスクフォース250」と、超党派の米国建国250周年記念委員会とは別個の組織であり、より露骨に政治的であるとされている。[ 45 ]その資金調達部門である「フリーダム250」は、タスクフォース250によるトランプの提案の実行を支援した。[ 46 ] 2025年には、内務省の内部文書で、職員に対し、すべての国家誕生日イベントの「主要なブランド」としてフリーダム250を使用するよう指示した。[ 42 ]
The New York Times described events held by Trump's Freedom 250 as having "lacked connection to American history", and were described as "tailored to Mr. Trump's political agenda and his penchant for spectacle, personal branding and legacy".[42] The Associated Press described it as focused on "splashy events" compared to America250's focus on civic engagement and history.[43] Initial proposals included a "Great American State Fair" to be held in the Iowa State Fairgrounds, featuring pavilions from all fifty states,[47] "Patriot Games" for high-school athletes, public monuments such as a National Garden of American Heroes, and other year-long celebrations and projects across the country.[48] On January 29, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14189, entitled "Celebrating America's 250th Birthday".[49] It also proposed a UFC fight on the White House lawn.[46]
Freedom 250 offered access to Trump and other benefits to donors who gave $1 million to the organization. The Times described the organization as taking on a "Trumpian flare" and overshadowing years of planning work done by America250. While America250 is a stand-alone congressionally authorized nonprofit group, Freedom 250 "utilizes opaque corporate structures" and is "technically a limited liability company created by, and housed inside, the National Park Foundation".[42] US embassies promoted Freedom 250 and America250 to overseas donors to host lavish parties and events, with former diplomats and business executives describing an "aggressive" fundraising push that raised tens of millions of dollars. Freedom 250 spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez stated that the Freedom 250 name had been embraced across the administration, and suggested that embassies were using the name as shorthand for their own semiquincentennial initiatives not directly related to the group and that it did not receive foreign funding.[50]
Trump's formation of Task Force 250 was criticized by Democrats and some historians as an attempt to politicize the celebrations, with conservative author and political scientist John J. Pitney describing them as "an opportunity for people to curry Trump's favor" through donations. John Dichtl, president of the American Association for State and Local History criticized Task Force 250's decision to host a UFC fight on the White House lawn, writing "What does a (UFC) fight have to do with America's greatness?" A June 21 letter by Democrats on the bipartisan America250 commission questioned its relationship to the Trump-led Task Force 250 and its events.[46]
In February 2026, Democratic senators launched a probe into Freedom 250's funding practices over its transparency and potential conflicts of interest.[51] During a February congressional hearing, Democratic Representative Jared Huffman accused the Trump administration of using Freedom 250 to "hijack the country's 250th anniversary and sell access, hide his donors and rewrite history" and that Republicans had "let him clean house and put loyalists on the board of the National Park Foundation, open the door to foreign, dark money donors to buy influence with zero oversight". Representative Maxine Dexter expressed concerns that the organization was using public money and mixing it with private donations, and that the structure of the organization made it difficult to trace where the money came from. The Interior Department has stated that the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission receives money through an interagency agreement with the National Park Service, but did not respond to questions regarding the distribution of federal money to America250.[43]NOTUS reported that as of April 29, 2026, Freedom 250 had received $68.3 million from the Department of the Interior.[52]
In 2016, Revolution 250, a non-profit group organized to plan commemorative events in Boston surrounding the semiquincentennial, was established.[53] According to the organization, it is a consortium of 56 groups,[54] including the Society of the Cincinnati, the National Park Service, the Boston Tea Party Museum, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the Suffolk University history department, the Boston Downtown Business Improvement District, The Bostonian Society, and others.[55]
現在サマービルとして知られる都市で1774年に発生した火薬警報事件は、実際の事件から250年後の2024年の日曜日に再現され、記念された。[ 56 ]翌日、近隣のケンブリッジでは、この事件の影響を探る活動が行われた。[ 57 ]
アメリカ独立戦争初期のボストン包囲戦後、イギリス軍がボストン市から撤退したことを記念する250周年避難記念日の祝典が2026年3月17日に行われるのに合わせて、国立公園局はドーチェスター・ハイツ記念碑の2500万ドルの改修工事を実施する。計画されている改修工事は完了までに約18ヶ月かかる予定で、「上層階の解体と再組み立て、1776年の要塞があった場所を示す花崗岩のスラブの設置、擁壁、排水設備、照明設備の最新化、案内板の刷新」などが含まれる。[ 58 ]
ジョージ・ワシントンの部隊がフォート・ヒルからドーチェスター・ハイツの要塞まで大砲を秘密裏に運搬した旅の最終行程を記念して、アーティストのマイケル・ダウリングは、ボストン市民10万人（市の人口の7分の1）に、布切れに「帰属意識に関する短い物語」を書いてもらい、それを秘密の旅と同じ長さの4マイル（6.4km ）のロープに結び付けるという企画を行った。 [ 58 ]
2017年、アメリカ独立革命の娘たちは、フィラデルフィア市に独立記念公園に76本の500周年記念樹を植えるために38万ドルの助成金を支給すると発表した。[ 59 ]実際の植樹は、500周年までの数年間にわたって行われた。[ 60 ] 2018年には、州レベルで、アメリカ合衆国500周年記念委員会のペンシルベニア委員会（A250PA）が設立された。[ 54 ]
委員会は、2026年7月4日にフィラデルフィアに埋めるためのタイムカプセルを用意し、独立宣言500周年にあたる2276年7月4日に発掘する予定である。[ 25 ]
2016年、フィラデルフィア市の都市計画担当者は、建国250周年を記念して旧市街を再開発する計画「ビジョン2026」を発表した。 [ 61 ]
2025年10月15日、トランプ大統領は、コロンビア島のロータリー交差点に近づき、アーリントン記念橋を経てナショナル・モールの西端に向かう人々を歓迎する祝典の一環として、ワシントンDCにメモリアル・サークル・アーチを建設することを提案した。[ 62 ] [ 63 ]ユナイテッド・ステイツ・トライアンファル・アーチと名付けられたこのアーチの頂上には、自由を象徴する像が設置される予定である。
2025 年 12 月 31 日から 2026 年 1 月 5 日にかけて、アメリカがどのように「発見」されたか、その独立、そして未来についての物語がワシントン記念塔の側面に投影された。[ 64 ] [ 65 ]ホワイトハウスはまた、2026 年 5 月 17 日に「再奉献 250」祈祷集会を後援した。[ 66 ] [ 67 ] [ 68 ] [ 69 ] 2026 年 6 月 14 日、ホワイトハウスの敷地内で初めて開催されたプロスポーツイベントであるUFC ホワイトハウスのために、ホワイトハウスの南庭に 5,000 席の仮設アルティメット ファイティング チャンピオンシップ(UFC) アリーナが建てられた。[ 70 ] 7 月 4 日には予想された高温のため、いくつかのイベントが中断または中止された。[ 71 ] [ 72 ]
2026年6月24日、トランプはナショナル・モール沿いでグレート・アメリカン・ステート・フェアを開幕した。当初、このフェアでは全50の州と準州からの食品や文化のブースに加え、ナショナル・モール沿いに連邦政府機関の展示も予定されていた。コネチカット州、イリノイ州、メイン州、マサチューセッツ州、ノースカロライナ州、オレゴン州、ペンシルベニア州、ロードアイランド州、バーモント州、ワシントン州は公式には参加しなかった。[ 73 ]
A Ferris wheel was installed for visitors, and a scaled-down replica of the triumphal arch that Trump is attempting to build was displayed.[74] The Washington Post reported opening day attendance was "relatively sparse compared with past National Mall events".[75] On June 26, Trump claimed that the fair was "packed with happy people".[76] According to Fox News, only a few hundred people could be seen, but a reporter claimed there were many more people somewhere else.[77]
The fair was marred by multiple controversies and logistical issues. Power outages led to Ferris wheel malfunctions and caused booths to close due to lack of air conditioning.[78] Multiple artists were slated to perform at an opening festival, but pulled out due to the event's association with Trump's political Freedom 250 organization.[79] A video containing the Confederate flag was shown at the North Carolina exhibit, causing controversy.[78][80] Extreme weather affected the fair on the day of the holiday. On July 4, the fair was evacuated due to storms, and 11 people were sent to the hospital as a result of heat exhaustion.[81]
Beginning at midnight on July 5, approximately 850,000 fireworks were launched over a span of 40 minutes from various sites in Washington, D.C., including the National Mall, West Potomac Park, and eight Potomac River barges. This broke the record of nearly 811,000 fireworks, set by a Philippines megachurch in 2016, for the largest fireworks display. The city also briefly recorded the worst air quality of any major city in the world due to smog caused by the fireworks.[82][83][84]
An IndyCar Series race, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, was ordered by President Trump on January 30, 2026. It is set to be held from August 21–23 at a street course in Washington, D.C.[85]
Union Pacific 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, traveled to Philadelphia for the semiquincentennial as part of its coast-to-coast tour and was displayed at the Navy Yard on July 4 and 5.[86]
フィラデルフィア美術館（PMA）とペンシルベニア美術アカデミーは、アメリカ美術史に関する共同展覧会「芸術家の国」を開催した。[ 87 ]
「独立500周年記念パレード」では、50の異なるマーチングバンド、19台のフロート、そして全52のミス・アメリカの州および準州のタイトル保持者が参加する予定だった。[ 88 ] 2026年7月3日に予定されていたこのパレードは、猛暑のため中止となった。[ 89 ]
「One Philly: Unity Concert for America」は、 7月4日にフィラデルフィア美術館（PMA）の外、ベンジャミン・フランクリン・パークウェイで開催された。ワンダ・サイクスが司会を務めたこの無料コンサートでは、インフィニティ・ソング、シール、ジョーダン・デイビス、ジル・スコット、ザ・ルーツ、キャシー・スレッジ、ステート・プロパティ、ミーク・ミル、DJジャジー・ジェフ、ウィル・スミスらがパフォーマンスを披露し、最後は花火で締めくくられた。クリスティーナ・アギレラは悪天候のため出演できなかった。[ 90 ]
アレクサンダー・ハミルトン啓発協会の副会長であるセルジオ・ビラビセンシオ氏は現在、ニューヨーク市建国250周年記念委員会の委員長を務めている。[ 91 ]オレンジ郡建国250周年記念委員会は2019年に設立され、[ 92 ] 2021年6月にはニューヨーク州建国250周年記念法が制定され、州レベルでの建国250周年記念行事を担当する州全体の委員会が設立された。[ 93 ] 2026年FIFAワールドカップの一部（決勝戦を含む）は、 6月から7月にかけてニュージャージー州のメットライフ・スタジアムで開催され、カナダ、米国、メキシコの15の会場と共同開催された。その中には、フィラデルフィアとボストンの「主要都市」も含まれ、それぞれリンカーン・フィナンシャル・フィールドとジレット・スタジアムで開催された。[ 94 ]
In December 2025, it was announced that the Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve would feature a collaboration with the Semiquincentennial Commission to launch America250, and that a special one-off edition of the event, the first outside of New Year's Eve, would take place on July 3, 2026, to count down to midnight on July 4.[95][96][97][98] The ball was lowered eight times for midnight in each U.S. time zone, with the earliest at 10 a.m. ET for the Chamorro Time Zone (Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands), a highlighted event at midnight ET, and the last at 7 a.m. ET the following morning for the Samoa Time Zone (American Samoa). The event was accompanied by public festivities inside One Times Square on July 4 and 5.[99][100]
The United States Navy hosted the seventh International Fleet Review, Sail250, in New York Harbor on July 4, 2026,[101] which incorporated OpSail 2026. It is estimated that 60 ships from 30 countries took part, in the largest maritime gathering in U.S. history.[102]
The Macy's 4th of July Fireworks event that night started half an hour earlier at 9:02 p.m. due to the threat of thunderstorms in the Tri-State area. Despite that, the event featured 85,000 fireworks that lit up the sky in 30 colors from 6 barges.[103]
Charleston, South Carolina, chosen due to its past as one of the "locations that witnessed the assertion of American liberty",[104] with the establishment of the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission in 2018,[54] planned battle reenactments and anniversary festivities.
Part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was held at Gillette Stadium in June and July, co-hosting the championship with 15 other venues between Canada, the United States and Mexico, including the "leading cities" of Philadelphia and New York City, at the Lincoln Financial Field and MetLife Stadium, respectively.[94]
The 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be held at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park in mid-July after the semiquincentennial, echoing the 47th All-Star Game held at Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium in 1976 during the bicentennial.[105] Part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup was held at the Lincoln Financial Field in between June and July (including a Round of 16 match on July 4).[94] Additionally, the 2026 PGA Championship was held in May at Aronimink Golf Club in the Philadelphia suburb of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
As part of America 250 celebrations in 2026, Boston Irish Tourism Association created a Revolutionary Irish Trail of public landmarks that chronicle the role of the Irish and Scots-Irish in the American Revolution.[106]
The California city celebrated with "America's Block Party", an event at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, part of a series of block party concerts hosted by America250. The celebration was hosted by Queen Latifah and featured music by Chris Stapleton, The Smashing Pumpkins, Anthony Ramos, Maren Morris, and Chaka Khan. The event featured a drone show and a massive fireworks show over the peristyle. Tickets were sold for $17.76 (a reference to the year the United States was founded) and proceeds were donated to Feeding America.[107][108] Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles also hosted a celebration that was held at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles, the largest semiquincentennial celebration in the western U.S., featuring a block party with multiple stages, a Ferris wheel, music, and vendors.
Camp Pendleton in California had a "live-fire Amphibious Capabilities" demonstration on October 18, 2025, that celebrated the Marine Corps' 250th birthday and the semiquincentennial.[109] As a precaution, the California Highway Patrol closed 17 miles (27 km) of Interstate 5 against the guidance of federal officials. During the closure, debris from an exploding shell fell on parked CHP vehicles in Vice President JD Vance's protective detail.[110][111]
The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) from its national society headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, announced plans to develop a SAR Education Center and Museum to be opened prior to the 250th Anniversary, to house galleries and exhibits highlighting the patriot ancestors and the story of the American Revolution.[112]
In 2019, the city of Pittsburgh organized the "Pittsburgh's United States 250 Celebration", which was planned to feature a "Freedom Train" with black and gold colors, musical celebrations with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and a major firework display at Fort Pitt/Point State Park in the city's downtown area, with an all-day live parade through all city neighborhoods.[113][114]
In 2026, Colorado also observed the 150th anniversary of Colorado entering the Union. The America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission was established to guide the Centennial State's twin commemorations.[115]
In 2026, the San Francisco Bay Area also observed the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Francisco, as well as the 175th anniversary of Santa Clara University.[116] Several events were held in honor of the Bay Area's triple celebrations, beginning with Super Bowl LX which was held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8, 2026, as well as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the same stadium in June and July.
In November 2025, technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida applied the semiquincentennial logo onto the solid rocket boosters of the Space Launch System rocket for Artemis II, which launched in April 2026 and sent four astronauts around the Moon, becoming the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.[117][118]
On June 17, 2026, President Trump was invited for dinner at the Palace of Versailles by French president Emmanuel Macron to celebrate the semiquincentennial and to sign the peace treaty ending the 2026 Iran war. Treaties of the 1783 Peace of Paris, including the Treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolutionary War, were signed at Versailles.[119]
In a historic act, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) consecrated the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11, 2026. This initiative took place within the context of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with the purpose of praying for healing, peace, and unity for the country.[120]
The national event was held during the Bishops' Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida, and was preceded by a national novena of prayer and various spiritual activities, including 250 hours of adoration and 250 works of mercy.[121]
The official prayer of consecration, written for the occasion, entrusted the country to the Sacred Heart, asking for the healing of divisions, respect for human dignity, and the protection of religious freedom and life.
The launch of semiquincentennial celebrations occurred amidst political division and record-low approval ratings for the sitting president. These celebrations were described as featuring competing narratives over American history,[37][122] such as with conflicts over the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials.[123]The Economist described them as "shaping up not as mere metaphor but as a straightforward display of America's fractured state".[45]
Trump's cost-cutting measures across the federal government were described as complicating celebrations, with funding cuts for the National Endowment for the Humanities leading to grant terminations for several state humanities councils that were working on programming for the 250th celebration.[5] CNN reported that state and local planners expressed fears over the president's brand of politics and funding cuts, writing that they were "concerned about a lack of resources to put on their own events and fear that the overall tenor will turn partisan as opposed to unifying, leaving little room for meaningful reflection on the nation's past".[40]
Differences between the events and initiatives hosted by the bipartisan America 250 and the Trump-aligned Freedom 250 organizations caused public confusion by artists and performers over their association with the Trump administration.[124] The Associated Press reported that Trump's own celebrations had "overshadowed" the bipartisan commission and that his second term's actions led to comparisons with King George III or a monarch, which Trump both rejected and endorsed.[125]
Criticism of the celebrations for politicization and praising Trump and conservatism emerged over official programming decisions.[126] Several artists who had been invited to perform at the event publicly announced their decision to decline participation. Their objections stemmed from a shared belief that what had originally been presented to them as a nonpartisan, neutral gathering had gradually become associated with President Trump and, in their view, taken on a political character.[127][128] A June 2026 Reuters/Ipsos poll found a majority of Americans, including three-quarters of Democrats and half of Republicans, believed events celebrating the country's 250th anniversary had grown too political.[129]
Axiosは、2025年1月以降、トランプ氏が年間を通じて祝賀行事のアイデアを次々と発表し、「 MAGA路線」に傾倒していると報じた。これらの行事には、2025年6月のトランプ氏の軍事パレード中にアメリカ250周年記念行事を「ソフトローンチ」することが含まれていたが、同日に全米で何百万人もの人々が「ノー・キングス」抗議デモに参加したことで、その意義は薄れてしまった。 [ 1 ] [ 130 ] [ 131 ]エコノミスト誌は、トランプ政権が2025年3月に出した大統領令で、連邦政府の史跡やスミソニアン博物館の監査を要請し、 DEIや「左翼」イデオロギーを推進していると見なされる「分裂を招く物語」を削除するよう求めたことを例に挙げ、国立公園で奴隷制度に言及する看板の撤去を命じたことを例に挙げ、祝賀行事を前に国の歴史が「党派の戦場」になりつつあると指摘した。 [ 45 ]
During the opening announcement for America250 in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 3, 2025, Trump criticized Democrats, saying "I hate them" and that "I cannot stand them, because I really believe they hate our country",[38] and also said those who voted against his One Big Beautiful Bill Act "hate our country".[5] He also mocked former president Joe Biden's speaking style, repeated his lie of a stolen 2020 election, criticized the "fake news" media, and engaged in campaign-style rhetoric praising his accomplishments and suggesting he was the greatest president in United States history.[123] The Associated Press called Trump as viewing "patriotism as inseparable from his own agenda", and the event featured large amounts of pro-Trump campaign gear and memorabilia.[5][123]The Guardian described Trump's July 4 speech at Mount Rushmore as "an extraordinary partisan attack" with anti-immigrant, anti-progressive themes and a denouncement of communism.[132] That same day, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a speech at Washington's old desk, criticizing Trumpism and inequality, and said America was not exceptional because it was more powerful but because Americans collectively worked towards its founding ideals.[133][134][135]
The White House stated it has sent letters to state governors and ambassadors to display its "Founder's Museum" exhibit made in partnership with PragerU in capitols, schools, and embassies. The exhibit received criticism from historians for blurring history with AI-generated fiction and having historical characters repeat the phrase "facts don't care about your feelings" popularized by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro.[136] Freedom 250's "Freedom Trucks" exhibit was funded by $10 million worth of congressionally authorized funding diverted from America 250, and was criticized as being made by conservative Hillsdale College and PragerU and prominently featuring quotes by Trump and a video he filmed inside the Oval Office.[42]
In 2026, the State Department announced that as part of the Semiquincentennial, new passports would be issued featuring an image of Donald Trump. A spokesperson of the United States Department of State stated that "As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed U.S. Passports to commemorate this historic occasion". The move came after the Department of the Interior placed Trump's face on "America the Beautiful" level park passes in 2025 also as part of the nation's 250 birthday celebrations. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the new passes bearing Trump's face would be "honoring America’s 250th anniversary and the generations who have protected our lands".[137]
In May 2026, USA Today described the "unofficial opening" of celebrations as beginning with "Rededicate 250", a prayer event organized on the National Mall featuring conservative Christian speakers and video messages from Trump and other administration figures promoting evangelicalism. The event received criticism from historians and religious organizations for promoting a Christian nationalist interpretation of American history.[138]
On the morning of Independence Day, approximately 400 members of the white supremacist group Patriot Front arrived in Washington DC and marched through the city while chanting "Reclaim America!" and holding Confederate flags.[139][140]
Many donors to America250 have been seen as Trump-friendly, including Amazon, Coinbase, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.[1]
In May 2026, nearly all of the announced musical artists publicly backed out of the Freedom 250 concert series, the "Great American State Fair", and publicly criticized the events for politicization and connection to the Trump administration.[141][142][143] Trump later called for canceling the concert series and said he would headline a MAGA rally at the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.[144][145]
In June 2026, seven states pulled out of the Great American State Fair, which The New York Times described as "the latest sign that the national 250th birthday celebration has become a fragmented and partisan affair as the president seeks his imprint".[146] North Carolina was one such state, where private organizations and businesses funded and organized the booth for the state which was found to display the Confederate flag leading to online outrage. The image was quickly removed from the booth, and at least one business sponsor; Mt. Olive Pickles withdrew its support along with a statement that it had been unaware of the inclusion of the image.[147]
NBC News described opening ceremonies for the fair as being a politicized, rally-style event, with Trump boasting about his accomplishments such as ending the "transgender mutilation of children" and that roughly half of the events' participants wore Trump slogans or had his likeness on their clothes. It noted a highly partisan speech from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who highlighted the new musical lineup as "way better than those libtards that canceled on us" and declaring Trump the greatest president since George Washington.[148]
The decision of the US Mint to create a two-headed commemorative $1 coin of Trump was widely criticized by historians as antithetical to America's anti-monarchical ethos. It was described as coming in spite of a 2005 congressional authorization that stated coins should not "bear the image of a living former or current president". Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that a 2020 law allowed "designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial" and that "there is no profile more emblematic for the front of this coin than that of our serving President, Donald J. Trump." The New York Times highlighted passages from the law which also stated "No head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design on the reverse of any coin", which would make such a decision likely illegal.[149]
In early 2026, the Mint proposed an additional "review and discussion of a Semiquincentennial Gold Coin" that would feature Trump to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee.[150] Acting chairman Donald Scarinci criticized the decision, writing that:
For 250 years, since that great document was signed — with a few controversial exceptions — no nation on earth has issued coins with the image of a democratically elected leader during the time of their service. Only those nations ruled by kings or dictators display the image of their sitting ruler on the coins of the realm. God bless America, and may God preserve our nation.[150]
The only other president to be depicted on coinage despite federal law[151]:221 was during the 150th anniversary celebrations in 1926, when coinage was made depicting then sitting President Calvin Coolidge as part of the United States Sesquicentennial coinage.[152]
In 2026, Trump appointees began printing $100 bills with Trump's signature to replace the Secretary of the Treasury and produced mock-ups for a $250 banknote bearing Trump's portrait to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. The moves were criticized for breaking federal law according to currency experts.[153] Additionally, no new U.S. currency can be adopted without the explicit approval of Congress.[154]
The dictionary definition of semiquincentennial at Wiktionaryトランプ政権は、今年の建国250周年記念式典がトランプ大統領も祝うものとなるよう尽力してきた。
アメリカの250回目の誕生日の準備は、オバマ前大統領の下、2016年頃から進められてきたが、1月以降はMAGA路線が強まっている。
フリーダム 250 というグループは、建国 500 周年記念の祝典で幅広いアメリカ人に働きかけることを目的とした長年の計画を覆い隠す恐れがある。彼らは今、大理石と男らしさに満ちたトランプ風の派手さを帯びている。
大使館の積極的な働きかけは、勧誘を受けた一部の幹部から衝撃を受けており、彼らは匿名を条件に反応を語った。専門家は、このキャンペーンの規模は異例だと述べている。
ドナルド・トランプ大統領は、間もなく始まるアメリカ建国250周年を祝う中西部の祭典を、自身の祝典に変え、木曜日の夜、議会が彼が推進した減税法案を承認した直後、支持者の群衆に囲まれて歓喜に浸った。...主催者は、この1年間の祝典が、分断された国家を団結させ、政治的な溝を埋めるのに役立つと考えている。しかし、トランプ大統領は演説の中で、愛国心は自身の政策と切り離せないものであると確信しており、彼の法案に反対票を投じた民主党員は「我が国を憎んでいる」と述べた。
土曜日、ドナルド・トランプ大統領の軍事パレードが首都を通過する中、全米各地で数百万人のアメリカ人が、2期目の政権発足以来最大規模の大統領に対する組織的な抗議活動に参加した。
「誰も聞きたがらない、音楽が退屈で、文句ばかり言う高額な歌手の代わりに、250周年を記念して巨大なMAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN集会を開催すべきだ」とトランプ氏は自身のTruth Socialプラットフォームに投稿し、「中止しろ」と付け加えた。
「7月4日、美しく安全なワシントンDCのリンカーン記念堂とワシントン記念塔で、史上最も壮大なトランプ集会『アメリカへの賛辞』を開催します」とトランプ氏はTruth Socialに投稿した。「東部標準時午後7時から始まるこの盛大な祝典は、我が国の国民、精神、強さ、決意、そして勝利を称えるものです。」