As lawmakers politicize the 250th anniversary, Americans are looking for unity over division

President Donald Trump arrives at the Great American State Fair Celebration on June 24, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images The Trump administration has planned a series of commemorative events as part of its Freedom 250 initiative to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. These commemorations, according to Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley, were intended to “bring the country back together” through a renewed sense of patriotism, national unity and civic pride. The Great American…