President Donald Trump officially launched the Great American State Fair on Wednesday night, using the opening ceremony on the National Mall to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary while arguing the country has entered what he called a new “golden age.”
Walking onto the stage as Lee Greenwood performed God Bless the U.S.A., Trump addressed thousands gathered in Washington, D.C., comparing the political movement that returned him to the White House with the patriots who fought for American independence.
“Just like those patriots of 1776, over the past 17 months, we have taken power back from the far off political class,” Trump said. “They’re trying to gain it back, but it’s not going to happen. We have reclaimed our sovereignty, regained our liberty, restored our prosperity, and we have saved our country in all things. We are once again putting a thing called America first.”
The kickoff featured military flyovers, including B-2 stealth bombers and F-35 fighter jets, performances by the U.S. Marine Band, and appearances from Cabinet officials before Trump delivered his remarks. House Speaker Mike Johnson and several members of Congress also attended the ceremony.
Trump highlighted what he described as efforts to restore Washington, saying his administration has removed homeless encampments and graffiti, repaired monuments and memorials, cleaned statues, and completed improvements at Union Station, Meridian Hill Park, Lafayette Square, and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
“The vandals got to it,” Trump said of the Reflecting Pool. “They’ve largely been caught and are being prosecuted. We can’t let that happen to our country.”
The president also outlined several projects tied to the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration, including a White House ballroom, a “triumphal arch” near Arlington National Cemetery, the National Garden of American Heroes in West Potomac Park, and a “Spirit of ’76” exhibition at Freedom Plaza honoring figures from the American Revolution.
While reflecting on the country’s past, Trump argued the anniversary should also serve as a springboard for America’s future.
“This anniversary is a time to be proud of our past,” he said. “But it is also a time to lift our sights, expand our ambitions, and raise our expectations of what America can be.”
“With all of that being said, the best is yet to come.”
The Great American State Fair runs through July 10 and spans much of the National Mall. Organizers say it features pavilions representing all 50 states and six U.S. territories, more than 150 exhibits, military demonstrations, cultural performances, food, technology displays, a FIFA World Cup fan zone, and family attractions modeled after a traditional state fair.
Trump called the event “a very special night” and said visitors would experience “just a little, little tiny glimpse” of what the celebration has to offer after watching the evening’s military flyovers.
“How good is our Air Force?” he asked the crowd.
The president also previewed a July 4 celebration that he said will feature “the largest fireworks display in world history,” along with additional Freedom 250 events planned throughout the summer, including the Patriot Games for top high school athletes and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a proposed race through downtown Washington.
The fair marks the opening of a broader nationwide celebration leading up to the United States’ 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. Freedom 250, the nonprofit organizing the event in partnership with the Trump administration, says the goal is to showcase America’s history, innovation, military, culture, and every state and territory through a two-week exposition on the National Mall.
