WASHINGTON, July 05 (AFP): US President Donald Trump hailed America on its 250th birthday Saturday as the "crowning achievement" of human history, even as he used the event to renew his attack on domestic opponents he branded communists.
In a speech delayed by several hours when storms forced the temporary evacuation of crowds in Washington, Trump claimed that under his presidency the United States was "prouder than ever before."
While Trump had promised a huge political rally to stamp his brand on the national celebrations, the 80-year-old Republican largely stuck to a more traditionally patriotic script.
"For two and a half centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history," Trump told tens of thousands of people on the National Mall.
On stage, he hailed also veterans from World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. But he then hailed the latter two as examples of the battle against "communists"-reprising his message from his speech on Friday night at the iconic Mount Rushmore monument.
Still the mood was joyous, with chants of "USA! USA! USA!" breaking out in one set of lines near the National Gallery.
Nearby, Iowa state congressman Eddie Andrews was hanging off the back of a farm tractor draped with stars-and-stripes livery, shouting "God bless America!" at the top of his lungs to crowds headed toward the Mall.
"Really this day, 250 years ago, really marked the new modern day of freedom, and it's why America leads the world in so many areas," he told AFP, between laps through downtown DC.
A few blocks away, Donna Dasher and her husband Albert were trying to get a photo of the White House.
"I think it's just the greatest event in our nation's history," Dasher said. "President Trump is trying to do everything he can to make it the greatest celebration, and some people say, 'Oh, it's about Trump.' No, it's not."
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