The United States is turning 250 tomorrow. It’s a big birthday. But what exactly is America celebrating?
The revolutionary ideals enshrined in the 1776 Declaration of Independence inspired generations: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
But those ideals are now the subject of intense debate. What is the American experiment all about? What should American democracy be? These are big questions, especially during Donald Trump’s polarizing presidency. I talked to my colleague Peter Baker, our chief White House correspondent, about what this anniversary tells us about America and the moment it’s in.
America’s very messy birthday party
So Peter, can anyone actually agree on what’s being celebrated this weekend?
No, and that’s what’s so striking. It should be a moment of unity, right? I was 9 when we celebrated 200 years of independence. Everybody came together waving flags, remembering the Revolution and thinking about what it all meant. But it’s a much more polarized environment today. And we have a president who’s making this anniversary more about himself than about the country.
How so?
He’s basically taken over the organization of the festivities in Washington. Take the big Fourth of July concert. That’s been completely transformed. All these musicians backed out. They didn’t want to be part of some sort of Trump show. And so instead, the president is giving what he says will be “a really long speech.”
I’ve lived my whole life in the Washington area, and on the Fourth of July back in the day, you’d go to the National Mall, bring a picnic, stay through the concert by the National Symphony Orchestra, which would play patriotic music, and then you’d watch the fireworks.
But this year it’s essentially a political rally, and that will leave a lot of Americans feeling that they don’t want to be there. There’s going to be security. They can’t bring chairs or balls or Frisbees or coolers full of food and have a picnic on the mall the way they used to.
Picnics on the mall — what could be more American?
Exactly. You want to look back at what made America great? It was picnics on the mall!
You mentioned the musicians backing out of Trump’s concert. That’s not the only thing that has gone wrong. There’s also his multi-million-dollar project to spruce up the Reflecting Pool for the anniversary — only to get an algae infestation and peeling paint.
Yeah, the symbolism is terrible. It makes him look like he’s focused on the wrong things to a lot of Americans struggling to pay for rent or gas. And he can’t even do it right. For those who don’t like him, it’s become a metaphor for his presidency.
For any other president this would have been very damaging. But Trump has so many of these moments that it may not matter. Still, it’s a bad story and one that has frustrated him enormously.
What about the content of the celebrations? What exactly are Trump and his supporters celebrating?
They’re celebrating a view of America as they believe it once was, a better America as they see it. An America with fewer immigrants, a strong manufacturing sector, a more traditional definition of the family and so on.
It’s a view of America that doesn’t embrace some of the changes we’ve seen in the country. Those changes are discomfiting to a lot of people. And Trump has tapped into this sense of grievance that is out there among many Americans, that the country is getting away from them.
It also doesn’t acknowledge some of the times it’s fallen short of its ideals. But Trump doesn’t believe in telling stories that in any way diminish the mythology of America’s greatness.
How are his opponents celebrating this anniversary?
The people who don’t subscribe to Trump’s view of the world look at America as a place of change. We’re not the same country we were 250 years ago, nor, they argue, would most people want it to be. When we said in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal,” what we really meant was “all white men who owned a certain amount of property.” Those were the only ones who were allowed to vote then.
But the Constitution also vows to “form a more perfect union.” So there’s an acknowledgment that we’re not a perfect union, but we’re trying to get there. That ideal is what traditionally made America a beacon for the world. But now there’s a worry among people who aren’t fans of Trump that we no longer are.
Is there a chance that, all of this division notwithstanding, this weekend will actually be an occasion where people come together?
Certainly in individual communities. I’m in New England with my family right now and when you drive around, you see flags everywhere, you see a lot of excitement about the holiday that has nothing to do with politics. It’s in Washington where it just feels so divided, but I expect in communities across the country they will ignore the politics — or at least put it to the side for one day.
And Peter, how are you going to celebrate tomorrow?
We’re going to a barbecue with fried chicken, burgers and fireworks. We also have a family tradition of the kids reading from the Declaration of Independence and we will do that again this year. It’s such a beautiful document. The meaning of the words has evolved with our lived reality. But the ideal behind it is as inspiring as ever.
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This is a summery twist on the classic Victoria sandwich, a British teatime treat named after Queen Victoria, who reportedly had a slice of sponge cake stacked with jam and buttercream to accompany her tea every afternoon. This cake is a bit denser, with a lemony peach tea soak.
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BEFORE YOU GO …
I was 17 when I moved to the U.S. Coming from small-town Germany, there were many things that baffled me. So many flags! The size of the doughnuts! The noise of the ambulances!
Everything in America was bigger, louder and more confident than what I had grown up with. It was both intimidating and awe-inspiring. And there was something else I noticed: the endless small talk.
People constantly asked me how I was doing, sometimes multiple times in one conversation. They told me I looked great, that my bag looked great. They were endlessly smiley. And they definitely overshared.
At first I found it terribly superficial. And so inefficient. Why are we still talking? I just want to buy my coffee.
But I quickly became a convert: Small talk is not just a joyful way to make a human connection. It’s also very efficient when it comes to identifying common ground with people who are different. In America, a nation of immigrants, small talk plays an essential role. (In journalism, it does, too.)
Social psychologists talk about the peach vs. coconut model. Americans are peaches — soft and chatty on the outside, with a harder private core. Northern Europeans are coconuts: We have a hard outer shell (no gratuitous smiling), but a soft core (lifelong loyalty once you’ve earned our friendship).
My song of the week is something a little different — but I thought you’d appreciate it. I went to a Lewis Capaldi concert this week in Cardiff, Wales, where he gave a soulful rendition of … “Before You Go”!
Have a great weekend! — Katrin
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Peter Baker contributed reporting today.
