Trump defends the history of the United States, criticizes the ‘radical left’ in the celebration of ‘Salute to America’

President Trump evoked the story of the American patriots who defeated the Nazis, overthrew the Communists and persecuted the terrorists, but warned of another threat now in the current political climate: the “radical left.”

In a July 4 speech at the White House amid the coronavirus pandemic and racial unrest, Trump made a full defense of the United States’ past and said he will not allow a “mad mob” to topple the statues, “he indoctrinated. our freedoms “or” trample “our children.

“We are now in the process of defeating the radical left,” Trump told hundreds at the Independence Day celebration of the White House lawn. “The Marxists. The anarchists. The agitators. The looters and the people who in many cases have no idea what they are doing.”

Trump, who has protested the “cancellation culture,” refused to allow the coronavirus pandemic to shut down a large Fourth of July celebration in Washington, DC, despite objections from local officials about the rate hike. of infection.

Four flybys over East Coast cities, a DC military air show, music, and fireworks took place as part of the “Salute to America” ​​celebration to honor America’s 244th birthday on Saturday.

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“Thanks to the courage of those patriots on July 4, 1776, the American Republic stands today as the largest, most exceptional, and most virtuous nation in the history of the world,” said Trump.

Trump praised the ingenuity of American workers and praised the American heroes who defeated the Nazis and dethroned the fascists. But as Black Lives Matter protesters took to the streets after George Floyd’s death to demand racial justice, with some activists tearing down Confederate statues and other relics, Trump warned of a new front that the United States must defeat: the left. Radicals seeking to destroy history.

Trump accused the media of “slander” for sowing racial divisions and said the press dishonored the memory of the soldiers “by insisting that they fought for racism.” He said that the country’s heritage belongs to citizens of all backgrounds, regardless of race.

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“Our past is not a burden to be thrown away,” Trump said. “… This incredible story of American progress is the story of each generation taking up where the last one ended.”

Trump paid tribute to the military and those who founded the United States 244 years ago, and spoke of his plans to create a “national garden” of American heroes.

“We will not shoot our heroes. We will honor them and prove ourselves worthy of their sacrifice,” Trump said.

Trump acknowledged the difficulties of the coronavirus pandemic, which “goes off in one area and shows its ugly face in another area.” He touted advances in testing, fan production, and said the United States will likely have a vaccine or therapeutic solution by the end of the year. He blamed China for a “cover-up” on the origin of the virus and said the country must be responsible for spreading a global pandemic.

Trump had already kicked off the Independence Day weekend with a challenging speech at Mount Rushmore on Friday, where he faced the “culture of cancellation” of racial justice activists and those trying to erase American history. , knock down statues and defame heroes.

Just hours before his White House speech on Saturday, Trump retweeted a post by a conservative author pointing out the hypocrisy of the “PC Coronavirus Police” that protesting against the United States is safe, but celebrating it is insecure.

Protesters who blocked the road to Mount Rushrome on Friday were arrested the Friday before Trump’s speech. Protesters demanding racial justice also gathered at Black Lives Matter Plaza, near the White House, on Saturday.

Trump sought to contrast sharply with alleged White House opponent Joe Biden, who issued an Independence Day message saying that the United States has never lived up to the founding idea of ​​equality, evoking slavery and George Floyd’s death, and urged the country to tackle “systemic racism”. A Trump aide called Biden’s message to Americans on July 4 “truly shocking.”

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“Biden begins by saying that the United States” has NEVER lived up to our ideals, “then denigrates Thomas Jefferson, evokes a series of the worst moments in our history, accuses the country of systemic racism, considers us bad people. it is “eaten away” by the principles that it says “we have never” incarnated, and then it goes on to say “The history of the United States is not a fairy tale,” and suggests that only by voting for it can the United States redeem itself from this terrible history. , “said Trump’s assistant.

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As the coronavirus is far from contained, with more than 50,000 new cases a day, public health officials have warned against large-scale gatherings and cities have downplayed the celebrations by canceling fireworks, closing beaches, and even banning them. Spectators Nathan’s famous Fourth of July hot dog. -eating contest.

COVID-19 cases have grown at a rate not experienced even during the deadliest phase of the pandemic in the spring, with Florida health officials recording another record day.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser raised objections about holding fireworks in the nation’s capital, but noted that she does not control federal lands. She warned the federal government about the dangers of such a large crowd and told her constituents, “Just because someone invites you to a party doesn’t mean you have to go.”

It appears that the COVID pandemic and scorching heat kept large crowds away from the National Mall. Protesters were virtually non-existent throughout the day at the mall, but hundreds of protesters were seen closer to the White House in the recently called Black Lives Matter Plaza.

The Department of the Interior had planned a grand celebration with more than 10,000 fireworks that are expected to light up the National Mall for about 35 minutes.

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Authorities said they would deliver 300,000 facial covers to spectators on the National Mall. Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt said that visitors would be encouraged to wear masks and keep a distance of six feet from each other. But there were no indications that the masks would be mandatory.

As the celebration began, military air crossings greeted the skies over Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. The military aircraft joined the largest air show in Washington, DC, with a demonstration by the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team and a 21-gun salute from the 3rd Military Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard.

Trump’s own plane, known as Air Force One when on board, kicked off the festivities with a flyover over the President and First Lady. The air show included a variety of heritage aircraft from past wars.

The White House said this year’s celebration looked “different from 2019” due to concerns about the coronavirus.

Last year, Trump held a major Independence Day event on the National Mall with armored military vehicles on display and delivered a speech from the Lincoln Memorial, to the dismay of Democrats, who accused Trump of trying to politicize the holidays. .

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This year, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump invited frontline workers, police, doctors, nurses, and the military, to the White House to watch the air shows and fireworks with their families.

The White House emphasized that social distancing would be observed and facial toppings and personal hand sanitizers would be provided.

Several hundred guests sat at round tables on the White House lawn in 88-degree heat, with about a third of them wearing masks.

Guests waved miniature American flags to the sounds of patriotic music performed by the United States Air Force Band, followed by the President’s Marine Band and the United States Navy Navy Band.

“The American people have shown great courage and spirit, particularly our incredible front-line workers, in fighting this global pandemic, just as our ancestors did in the fight to secure our independence, and both deserve celebration in the America’s birthday this year, “said the White House. Deputy press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.

John Roberts, Mark Meredith, Lucas Tomlinson, and The Fox News Associated Press contributed to this report.