President Donald Trump touted America's 250th birthday at the Great American State Fair kickoff on Wednesday.
“Tonight as we stand on the edge of our 250th year of independence, I am thrilled to declare that America is back," the president said.
“Now we're the hottest country anywhere in the world who are respected by everybody. Nobody's laughing at us anymore,” he added.
“Two years ago, they were laughing. Now we're the most respected anywhere. Think of it, anywhere in the world, where were we two years ago? We were respected. We were a joke. We're not a joke anymore,” the president continued.
"We're in the golden age. There's never been an age like this," he later added, encouraging people to "raise our expectations of what America can be."
"The best is yet to come," he said.
"This exceptional nation was forged, worn, by some of the bravest, toughest, most extraordinary people ever to stride the Earth," Trump noted.
The B-2 Spirit over the Nation’s Capital 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/PdqpqIZM2n
— Airshow News (@NewsAirshow) June 25, 2026
The kickoff featured performances from Lee Greenwood, Alexis Wilkins, Christopher Macchio, and multiple military music groups, such as the “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Multiple cabinet members also spoke at the event, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
"To start this off, I think we have to give a big round of applause for our military band and singers — way better than those libtards that canceled on us!" Duffy said.
.@SecDuffy at the Great American State Fair: "To start this off, I think we have to give a big round of applause for our military band and singers — way better than those libtards that canceled on us!" 🤣
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 25, 2026
SO TRUE! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ICg2yTfYX9
There were also numerous flyover that send awe-inspiring shockwaves through Washington, D.C., including a B-2 bomber.
B-2 and F-35 playmates flyover National Mall to kickoff The Great American State Fair pic.twitter.com/auenbPKdGc
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) June 25, 2026
The event was originally intended to be a concert featuring multiple artists, including country singer Martina McBride, but many backed out amid political backlash.
“We will make America powerful again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America proud again. We will make America safe again, and we will make America great again,” Trump said at the close of his remarks, shortly before the United States Marine Band played an instrumental version of Village People's “YMCA” as he exited.