This July 4 marks the 250th anniversary of the vote for the separation of the thirteen British colonies in North America from Great Britain, and the way some commentators have chosen to cover our Independence Day anniversary strikes me, frankly, as a distasteful distraction. Yes, Trump has turned much of the commemorative events into a personal tribute, and the U.S. Mint will issue a coin bearing his likeness. Yes, a group of Democratic organizers who had originally envisioned a unifying celebration for all communities across the country has had to redesign its own commemoration. All of that is real and a legitimate part of the political debate. But none of those discussions changes the fact that the United States is today the most powerful economy on the planet.
The polarization surrounding this anniversary is supposedly grounded in polls conducted by, among others, AP-NORC, which confirm that Americans have felt less proud of their history and the functioning of their democracy over the past decade.
It is worth noting that Trump’s second term began in January 2025, so this climate had already been brewing during Democrat Joe Biden’s administration. The same poll reveals that the majority of American adults still consider being part of this country to be extremely or very important to their personal identity. That bond has not been broken, and as long as it exists, the foundation upon which this nation’s productive force is built will not be broken either.
Here is what truly matters. No other country on the planet combines technological capability, the depth of its capital markets, and entrepreneurial strength with the same intensity that the United States demonstrates at this moment. The companies leading the artificial intelligence revolution, advancements in advanced semiconductors, and the financial infrastructure that underpins much of international trade—all of this is geographically concentrated in a way that no competitor has been able to replicate, nor is likely to in the foreseeable future. That does not depend on who occupies the White House or which side wins the next election.
The show being prepared for this July 4 at the National Mall in Washington—featuring a fireworks display that promises to break records and a flyover by aircraft—will undoubtedly have a political component, and campaign-style rallies will continue to cause discomfort among those who do not share the current president’s ideology. That is part of the price of living in a democracy where public debate is neither silenced nor standardized, and where celebrating 250 years of independence allows for different interpretations depending on who is doing the celebrating.
The greatness of the United States goes beyond the figure depicted on a commemorative coin or the tone of an anniversary speech. American greatness lies in the productive, technological, and financial capacity that this country has built over generations, and that capacity remains intact regardless of which political camp wins the debate over who deserves to take center stage at the 250th-anniversary celebration.
