BBC design banner which borrows from the USA national flag - there are white stars on a blue background on the left of the banner and the words USA 250. And there are white stars on red on the left side of the banner, no text.

Fireworks, flyovers and a Trump speech ahead as US celebrates 250th

July 4, 2026 adminsr

Soaring temperatures, potential storms and airport-style security checkpoints and could potentially put a dampener on the event, with administration officials reportedly concerned about the potential crowd-size.

The event has also courted political controversy in recent weeks.

The White House group organising it – Freedom250 – has been accused by critics of effectively supplanting the separate, bipartisan America250 commission created by Congress a decade ago, with some Democrats accusing Trump of hijacking the event – a charge organisers deny.

“President Trump couldn’t help but try making America’s 250th birthday all about himself,” California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla said in a 24 June hearing.

Freedom250, for its part, has brushed aside those accusations, describing them as a “partisan smear” from politicians seeking to score “political points” rather than celebrate the US milestone.

Elsewhere in the country, the Times Square Ball in New York will drop eight times to signal midnight in every US time zone. There will also be a fireworks display in the city at 21:25 local time.

And in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall 250 years ago, there will be a celebration concert featuring stars including Christina Aguilera and Meek Mill. The city is also hosting its final World Cup game earlier in the day.