26th U.S. president; reformer, naturalist, rough-rider
The White House has hosted UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn, a seven-bout card timed to President Trump’s 80th birthday and the US semiquincentennial. The event has drawn legal challenges, cost estimates above $60m and criticism that it blurs public property, private sponsors and presidential interests while thousands watched on the Mall and 4,000 attended on the lawn.
President Donald Trump has unveiled a Qatari‑donated Boeing 747 that the Air Force has converted and repainted as a temporary Air Force One. The plane has completed flight testing, will serve as a "bridge" until purpose‑built VC‑25Bs arrive around 2028, and has drawn questions about cost, security and the ethics of accepting a foreign gift.
The Reflecting Pool renovation amid America’s 250th celebrations has exposed ongoing problems. Algae blooms reappeared after a $14 million upgrade, while officials cite sabotage and lawmakers probe no‑bid contracts and the costs tied to the milestone.
The USMCA renewal process is under way as the three North American partners weigh changes to the pact. Canada and Mexico seek a 16-year extension, while the United States signals willingness to renegotiate to boost domestic production. Negotiations are ongoing, with no immediate agreement expected, and the fate of tariffs and auto rules remains uncertain.
Trump has toured the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library with an AI Roosevelt, discussing Roosevelt’s legacy and US control of the Panama Canal. He reiterates calls to reassess sovereignty over the canal as tensions with Panama persist. The library opening followed with Roosevelt’s Medal of Honor loaned to the museum.
Donald Trump has used Mount Rushmore addresses to frame communism as a mortal threat while casting progressive Democrats as a broader political risk, as the US marks its 250th anniversary amid heat waves and large-scale political events.
Thousands gather for July 4th celebrations in Washington as security tightens and a severe heat wave tests public endurance. Trump headlines a Freedom 250 program on the National Mall, while other cities adjust plans amid storms and high temperatures.
Trump has framed America’s 250th anniversary as a moment to press for voting restrictions and to cast communists as a threat, delivering a concise, politically charged speech on the National Mall after a weather delay.
The 250th anniversary is being marked amid partisan tensions, with leaders touting democracy while critics warn of deeper erosions in institutions and norms.
Trump's orders have reduced national monument sizes in Utah, reopening decades-long battles over land protections under the Antiquities Act. Biden previously restored boundaries and expanded protections, while legal questions about unilateral changes persist. The shift has sparked backlash from conservationists and tribes, and from Utah officials seeking more development room.
The White House has issued an executive order targeting the Smithsonian, directing the National Park Service to place signs about a July 4 report that criticizes how American history is told and to stage a temporary exhibit to present what it calls accurate history. Smithsonian leaders defend their work as a fuller, continuously updated account of the nation’s story.