Trump’s Big, Beautiful Fourth of July

Washington, DC

What’s the best way to celebrate America’s birthday? For President Trump, it was a swift round of golf at his course in Sterling, Virginia, followed by a victory lap to sign his “One Big, Beautiful Bill” on the South Lawn of the White House. Two B-2 bombers, flanked by F-22 Raptors flew over the White House as the US Marine band played “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Military men in short-sleeved shirts – their wives in flowery sundresses – were dotted on white chairs around gingham-clad tables. It was a quintessentially American affair.

“That is some sight,” said Trump, of what he described as a “big, beautiful plane,” after he walked up to the shaded podium on the South Portico with his First Lady. He invited the B-2 crews that completed the bombings on the Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz – a “flawless mission,” he said – to raise their hands to be praised by their colleagues. “They’re looking at us like we’re a bunch of babies!” he joked, of the soldiers’ absent fears. America, he insisted, was the winner.

Roaming around the White House lawn, mingling with the military families, you could spot cabinet secretaries including Scott Bessent and Doug Burgum. Members of Congress were also present, including Mike Lawler and Marsha Blackburn, as were a bevy of White House staffers and their families. Stephen and Katie Miller were doing their utmost to wrangle their children, while the press corps cooked in the heat. “I’m gonna look like the Joker by the end of this” one on-camera correspondent said, sweat pouring off his temples, his make-up running.

The President was full of praise for his party, particularly his cabinet and the triumphant members of Congress present. “As we enter our 249th year, America is winning, winning, winning, like never before,” he told the crowd. He offered kind words to Senator John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson, his lieutenants in the Senate and House, for their efforts marshaling the OBBB. “It’s the biggest bill of its type in history,” Trump said. “We have so much in there.” He’s not wrong: the 887-page package makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, gives ICE $30 billion, splashes $46 million on tightening border control, further restricts Medicaid access, gets rid of taxes on tips, increases the state and local tax deduction, and raises the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. The “Big” part of the bill isn’t in doubt. It’s the “Beautiful” part that remains highly contested.

The President, however, has no qualms. “The Democrats, they should have voted for it,” he said of the bill, before mocking House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his lengthy floor speech yesterday: “He had a towel, he’s wiping his face, I said, ‘that’s not too elegant.”.

Trump seemed particularly happy about the funds ring-fenced for border security. “Not only will we have the strongest economy on earth, we’re gonna have the strongest border on earth,” he pledged. 

“Our country is more proud right now than it’s been in many many years,” Trump claimed. It was, perhaps, an attempt to rebut the Gallup poll showing the exact opposite. He claimed NATO leaders had told him how different his premiership was to former President Joe Biden’s. “They told me ‘one year ago your country was dead.’” Now, Trump insisted, they think America is the “hottest country going.”

Only one thing could spoil such a festive day for Donald Trump’s America: foreign interference. Elon Musk has been tweeting about his third party again. “Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!” he wrote this morning on X, alongside a poll asking “Should we create the America Party?” He then pinned the post and made it a paid ad, putting it in everyone’s X feed. Musk’s comments come just two days after the South African-born, former Trump advisor pledged to primary any Republican who voted for it. 

We’ll see if the fireworks keep the President’s attention this evening, or if he finds himself drawn back into his ex-bromance drama.