Washington: President Donald Trump commemorated the 250th anniversary of American independence in a powerful 37-minute speech, a moment he declared "one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time.” Here is a recap of some of the highlights.
'The spirit of 1776 still lives within us all'
"We have thrived and flourished because our founders were great, our cause was just, our people are brave, our culture is exceptional, and our destiny is written by God," Trump said during his speech.
"And as we can see here tonight, after 250 years, the spirit of 1776 still lives within us all. It still roars in the hearts of our nation's capital. It still burns in the heart of every patriot, thunders through every city and town, and still lights the entire world with the glow of American liberty. And there is nothing like that."
"At 250 years old, we may be the oldest constitutional republic on Earth, but our country is just getting started because the best is yet to come: This is only the dawn of the golden age of America," Trump said in his conclusion, leading directly into the National Mall fireworks display.
"And on this 250th 4th of July, we declare, just as they did two and a half centuries ago, that for our country and for our children and for the cause of liberty, we are going to take our country to new levels, to levels not reached," Trump continued. "We're going to make it bigger, better, stronger, and we're going to love it even more,” Trump said.
The POTUS and FLOTUS honored US veterans at the Salute to America 250 event. (Photo courtesy: The White House)
'No dream in history is bigger'
"In this country, we could achieve the wildest and most impossible dreams, and no dream in history is bigger or more incredible than the one that started on July 4, 1776," Trump said. "The war for independence was launched by minutemen, farmers, blacksmiths, tradesmen who took up their muskets against the mightiest army on Earth, the most powerful army and unbeatable army – until they met us."
"No one made them do it. They fought because they knew that a free people must have a free country. Over 250 years, the world has seen the great empires, vast kingdoms, mighty nations and terrible tyrants: They came and they went, but after 2 1/2 centuries, this American republic still stands tall and strong," the President said.
'America is a nation of winners’
"Americans won the West and built the modern world, because America is a nation of winners, and today our country is winning again, and we're winning like never before," Trump said just before the midway point of the speech. "America is back and we want to keep America great."
"Together, we are also reasserting the truth that American strength and power is not something to be ashamed of. It is something that we are very, very proud of," Trump continued. "This country has been the greatest force for peace and justice on earth in the last century. We defeated tyrants, demolished evil, and saved freedom again and again and again."
'Nothing Americans cannot do'
"There is no challenge Americans can not overcome," Trump said before his concluding remarks. "There is no place we cannot go. There is no goal we cannot reach. And there is nothing that Americans cannot do."
"If you think that was easy, it wasn't," Trump began in an unscripted salute to the patient and devoted crowd. "And I want to thank everybody because they did the right thing. They saw lightning. And I said, 'There's no way; if we have to speak in front of one person at 4 in the morning, I'm going to be here.'
"There's no way we can be deterred. And they estimated they had 375,000 people before everybody had to leave, and they now have 150,000 people. It's the craziest thing anyone's ever seen. And I want to just thank you. And I feel so badly about some people. They left it; they couldn't get back. But, you're very special people, and we have a very special country. Thank you very much."
A well-deserved recognition from the POTUS for Apollo 17’s Jack Schmitt and the Artemis II crew during the Salute to America celebrations. (Photo courtesy: X@NASAAdmin)
‘Next stop Mars’
"We're going to be going to Mars very soon, and I think that's something that we do have in my mind. And we're going to do the moon and we're going to go from there. We're going to go to Mars, and we're going to continue to be way ahead."
