From "The Conversation": As lawmakers politicize the 250th anniversary, Americans are looking for unity over division
President Donald Trump arrives at the Great American State Fair Celebration on June 24, 2026, in Washington. Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images Tatishe Nteta , UMass Amherst and Adam Eichen , UMass Amherst The Trump administration has planned a series of commemorative events as part of its Freedom 250 initiative to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. These commemorations, according to Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley , were intended to “bring the country back together” through a renewed sense of patriotism, national unity and civic pride. The Great American State Fair – a 16-day event on the National Mall designed to showcase all 56 U.S. states and territories – was at the center of the plans. But the effort to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial has been mired in political controversy. Several musical artists withdrew from the fair in May, arguing that what was presented as a nonpartisan celebration had become politicized. Eight states – including Pennsylvan...
