Donald Trump begins the 250th anniversary of US independence

**Alex Ritson** (0:00)
This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Alex Ritson, and in the early hours of Saturday, July 4, these are our main stories. Donald Trump lands in Mount Rushmore, where he's marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The UN warns of impending catastrophe as paramilitaries close in on the Sudanese city of El Obaid. And the fairytale is over for the team that stunned the World Cup. But Cape Verde did push world champions Argentina into extra time before losing 3-2. Also in this podcast...
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President Trump has started a weekend of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American Independence with a speech at Mount Rushmore where the faces of four former presidents are carved into rock. The National Monument in the state of South Dakota has George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt chiselled into granite. Over the years, Mr Trump has hinted that he too would like his likeness to be added, but for now he had this to say.

**Donald Trump** (1:28)
As we approach this magnificent anniversary, we see our American identity under a renewed attack, a generation after we fought and won the Cold War against the menace of communism. There is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success. These are not mere political disagreements like differences over taxes or regulations.
Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty.

**Alex Ritson** (2:05)
For more details, I spoke to our North America correspondent, Howell Griffith.

**Howell Griffith** (2:10)
I think it's interesting that he was willing to speak so much about history. Often, the focus of the presidential speeches on the current president, he did reflect on his predecessors, what he thought made them great. The four figures behind him carved into Mount Rushmore and those who succeeded. He seemed to draw a line between their spirit of adventure, creating America and then ingenuity.
Building up, of course, to what is, he says, now the beginning of a golden age of America. Of course, his current term in office, where he says things are going to be bigger and better than ever before. But different, perhaps, to a speech I heard him make on the wall in Washington here last week, also part of the 250 celebrations where there was a lot more focus on him. This was more about the sweep of history. Now that history included anti-communism because communism, according to Donald Trump, is the greatest threat facing current-day America. Why you may ask? Because we're not in a cold war anymore. Well, that is because the Democrats, particularly left-leaning Democrats, have started doing very well in recent votes and therefore he's seen them as the enemy domestically now, telling the American people not to waste their time, not to waste their energy with communists because they only failed to stick with him and his version of republicanism because that is what has done America so well over the centuries and will do them very well over the next few years.

**Alex Ritson** (3:47)
And there had been some speculation that he'd want his face also carved into Mount Rushmore, but no mention of that.

**Howell Griffith** (3:57)
No mention, no. Now this is something that emerged during his first presidency and it was reported that he'd suggested himself. He laughed it off but said actually it's not such a bad idea. Now during Trump II, the second presidency, the 47th presidency I should say, with Donald Trump in the White House, the idea has been backed by his supporters again, particularly by some republicans.
We understand from those who understand granite and rock formations that it may not be practical to carve a fifth face into that famous rock in South Dakota. So President Trump may be having to accept that gravity or geology is against him on this one and didn't mention it in the speech.

**Alex Ritson** (4:46)
Howell, it's the 4th of July, American Independence Day. What events, what other events are planned for the 250th anniversary?

**Howell Griffith** (4:57)
Well the speech at Mount Rushmore was in effect a warm-up act to the big event here in Washington.
In the evening, we're going to have, according to Donald Trump, the biggest fireworks show ever on the planet.
Not a man known to undersell or describe things in a diminutive way. Now that will be preceded by another presidential speech. Donald Trump is going to address the nation this time from the Washington Mall. And we're going to have an afternoon of flyovers. Now they've been rehearsing this afternoon several times. I've found myself spontaneously ducking down because they were so loud. B-2 bombers and jet fighters going through the air over downtown Washington. That's going to be done in a synchronized way tomorrow over a crowd of potentially thousands. But what the people in Washington will also feel pushing down on them is immense heat. It is so hot and humid here at the moment. Record temperatures across large parts of the United States. And that means that some parts of celebration here have been cancelled. So the annual Independence Day parade that goes through Washington has been cancelled. There are no marching bands and flags going through the city. And people are being told to go later to this big event on the Washington Mall because it is so hot and humid they're concerned obviously that too much exposure to that heat and humidity would be dangerous.