Bernhardt and Trump Buck America’s Birthday Tradition, Igniting and Ignoring Backlash 

Donald Trump announced months ago that the Fourth of July celebration in Washington D.C. – normally a convergence of parades, music, and nonpartisan merriment – would shift its messaging and pivot towards a rally in honor of the President himself. 

Because Trump wanted to speak at the Lincoln Memorial – a taxpayer-funded national monument – he needed the support of Secretary of the Interior and conflict-ridden former lobbyist David Bernhardt. Unsurprisingly, Bernhardt backed Trump’s political fiasco despite the allegations of wasteful spending and widely-received criticism. 

“Trump and Bernhardt are spending critical taxpayer dollars on political ploys. Using our public lands and national monuments for political gain isn’t new for this administration but it’s wrong – especially on our nation’s birthday. Celebrating the Fourth of July isn’t about one person, it’s about all of America – and what Bernhardt and Trump have done to our public lands is a slap in the face to the national heritage we should be celebrating. The wasteful spending and the refusal to hear opposition is the latest example of the administration’s bent towards politicizing the totally unnecessary, including their proposal to gut the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund,” said Western Values Project Executive Director Chris Saeger.

Critics have roundly panned Trump and Bernhardt’s Fourth of July fiasco. Below, we have rounded up just some of the news coverage around conflict-ridden Bernhardt and Trump’s co-opting of America’s birthday for a political rally at the Lincoln Memorial National Monument. 

News Coverage

New York Magazine: Trump Proposes Fourth of July Parade in D.C., Which Already Exists

Washington Post: Trump takes over Fourth of July celebration, changing its location and inserting himself into the program

MSNBC: Trump announces plan for 4th of July festivities that already exist

HuffPost: Trump’s Plan For A 4th Of July Celebration Starring Himself Is Reportedly In The Works

Splinter: Trump Hijacks DC’s Fourth of July Celebration to Make It About Him

ABC Radio: Trump set to commandeer July 4 festivities in nation’s capital

Politico: Democrats urge Trump to rethink July 4 plans

Associated Press: Democrat cautions about Trump’s July 4th extravaganza

Common Dreams: Trump’s Upcoming Yankee Doodle Disaster

Washington Post: Trump desecrates America’s birthday

Washington Examiner: Trump gets one hour, prime-time slot in July 4 celebration

New York Times: Trump Announces Fourth of July ‘Salute to America’ at the Lincoln Memorial

USA Today: Trump highly involved in July 4 planning, hopes to deliver Lincoln Memorial address, report says

HuffPost: Trump To Profit Bigly From His D.C. Hotel During July 4th Bash Starring Him

Talk Media News: It’s official: Trump will reshape formerly nonpartisan Independence Day celebration around him

Time: President Trump Moving Forward With Revamped Fourth of July Celebration

The Hill: Trump moves DC July 4 fireworks display, plans to deliver remarks

Mother Jones: Donald Trump Thinks the Fourth of July Needs Much More Donald Trump

Bustle: Trump’s Fourth Of July Celebration For 2019 Might Break With Tradition In A Major Way

Independent: Trump seeking to reshape traditionally nonpartisan Fourth of July celebrations into glorified campaign rally

In closing: