Trump Vows to Vanquish Communism as US Marks Independence Day

US President Donald Trump hailed American exceptionalism and repeatedly vowed to ‘vanquish Communism’ as he joined ‘semiquincentennial’ celebrations ahead of the July 4 weekend. The POTUS also issued a fresh batch of pardons and insisted that the upcoming midterm elections would be “lost” if Americans were “foolish, stupid and unwise”. The country will mark 250 years of independence on Saturday — braving a wave of cancellations, delays and event closures due to extreme heat. “We can only lose the midterms if we allow ourselves to lose the midterms—if we are foolish, stupid, and unwise. But if we terminate the filibuster as we should do, and immediately vote for the SAVE America Act, then we will not lose an election for 100 years… The Communist Party is made up of illegal immigrants, criminals, and everybody that doesn’t want to work,” Trump insisted. Trump is also set to cap the weeks-long America 250 celebration with a political rally on a fenced-off National Mall in Washington. The president has billed his evening appearance among the city’s iconic monuments as “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all,” accompanied by military flyovers and a super-sized fireworks display. Past presidents have steered clear of the celebration, but Trump has blurred ‌the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics. His address from the iconic granite slopes of Mount Rushmore also included claims that American generosity stood alone in human history. He claimed that the United States has led the world in charitable giving, actively working to solve global crises by ending hunger and curing diseases. Trump also lauded the country for maintaining a culture that is “incredibly good, kind, and generous” and always prepared to support a neighbour or friend in need. “We built the biggest and most dynamic economy… with, as of last week, 19.2 trillion dollars pouring into the United States from all over the world… And thanks to our great election win and tariffs, plants and factories are being built all over the United States right now…Two years ago, we were laughed at, mocked, and a nation in decline… and today, we are the hottest country anywhere in the world… We’re respected like no nation in the world is respected… and I want to tell you: the best is yet to come!” he added. Trump also lashed out repeatedly at what he claimed was a “communist” threat posed by progressive Democrats. Increasingly uneasy that the conflict could cost the party control of at least one chamber of Congress in November’s midterm elections, Republican lawmakers have seized on a recent string of successes by left-wing Democratic candidates. “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., We’re not going to let this happen. Communism is the enemy of free people everywhere. It is the enemy of the Constitution. Above all, it is the enemy of July 4, 1776,” Trump claimed. “We resolve and swear for all to hear that ​the citizens of the United States of America will vanquish communism ‌quickly … We will send them quickly away, and we will continue to build our country bigger and better, stronger than ever before. America will never be a communist country!” ‌he added before assuring success in the midterms. Communism found nearly a dozen mentions across his politically charged speech — with an AP report noting that his language evoked the Red Scare of the 1950s. This period of intense anti-communist paranoia had been fuelled by Cold War tensions and Soviet espionage cases and culminated in a nationwide ‘hunt’ and mass hysteria. During this time, alleged communists were persecuted and blacklisted from jobs across America, from Washington to Hollywood. The US President also began the day by pardoning 11 people — including nine who faced charges related to violations of the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitoring systems on vehicles or selling devices that enabled emissions systems to be bypassed.The pardons come after Trump on Monday signed a memo telling the Environmental Protection Agency that Americans can fix their own vehicles as they see fit. The group of 11 also included a former business partner of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Adam Kidan had pleaded guilty in 2005 to fraud and conspiracy related to the purchase of a fleet of gambling boats, and in 2006 he was sentenced to nearly six years in prison.The case was part of a broader investigation of the early 2000s lobbying scandal involving Abramoff, Capitol Hill, the Interior Department and members of President George W. Bush’s administration. According to a Newsday report, Kidan was among the hosts of a fundraiser at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for a Long Island Republican congressional candidate in March. The president’s speech capped an Independence Day eve that was otherwise most notable for a brutal heat wave the gripped much of the eastern portion of the country. The annual celebration in various cities typically draws hundreds ​of ​thousands of people. But this year Americans are also contending with stepped-up security, possible thunderstorms and temperatures that could top 100F (38C). Officials have warned those celebrating the holiday to stay hydrated and take air-conditioned breaks as needed. The weather has also prompted a wave of event cancellations and delays as Americans braved the heat to attend outdoor events. Philadelphia cancelled its Salute to Independence parade on Friday. The Great American State Fair in Washington shut down in the early afternoon before reopening at 5 pm The Capitol Fourth concert, a mainstay of the holiday in Washington, opened its gates a little later than normal but ultimately moved forward with appearances from Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins, members of the Artemis II space mission and fireworks over George Washington’s Mount Vernon. An Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington was also cancelled.