Trump Scales Back Obama’s Independence Day Flair

In a marked deviation from his predecessor, President Donald Trump plans to continue his habit of toning down White House affairs by offering a relatively low-key Independence Day celebration on Tuesday.

As an unconventional president who ran an unconventional campaign, Trump vowed to shake up Washington, D.C., and change the way things are done while adhering to the country’s time-honored traditions and values. Former President Barack Obama’s Fourth of July festivities featured star-studded concerts and large-scale extravaganzas. The Trumps will host a scaled-back celebration during the day and then an evening event with fireworks.

Trump spent most of the Independence Day weekend in New Jersey at one of his golf courses, although he returned to Washington, D.C., Saturday evening to participate in a Celebrate Freedom Rally. Stephanie Grisham, first lady Melania Trump’s director of communications and a special assistant to the president, told Vanity Fair the White House invited U.S. military service members and their families to celebrate with the president at a South Lawn picnic on Independence Day. The Trumps will also host White House staff members and their families to watch a fireworks display.

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The president made veterans the focus of his speech at the Celebrate Freedom Rally, telling those gathered in the audience, “There is no place I’d rather be than with you,” while participating in his “very first Independence Day celebration as president.” Touting the Veterans Accountability Act he signed into law in late June, Trump said, “We will always, always, remember what you did for us. Tonight we celebrate veterans. We also reflect on everything we cherish as Americans. We love our country, we love our families, we love our freedom, and we love our God.”

The relatively mellow Independence Day festivities at the Trump White House, coupled with the highlighting of service members’ and veterans’ sacrifices, will reflect the president’s commitment to honoring the heroes who have fought, bled and died to preserve the country and its freedoms.

As for Washington, D.C.’s own celebrations, the extravagant Capital Fourth event and concert televised and hosted each year by PBS will continue as usual with its star-studded line-up featuring John Stamos, Trace Adkins, Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd from the Blues Brothers, the Beach Boys and the National Symphony Orchestra. The traditional Independence Day Parade will commence on its Constitution Avenue path; the Smithsonian will host a Folklife Festival on the National Mall; and the National Parks Department will hold a fireworks show near the reflecting pool, Vanity Fair noted. In addition, the Washington Nationals will play against the New York Mets.

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In direct contrast to Trump’s toned-down Fourth of July plans, Obama celebrated his final Independence Day in office in 2016 by hosting a celebrity-packed musical event attended by the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Janelle Monáe. Singer Bruno Mars was featured the year before.

The Independence Day festivities were in keeping with the Obamas’ other glitzy celebrations, such as extravagant State Dinners and Easter Egg Rolls. The Obamas also celebrated daughter Malia’s birthday, which is July 4, in conjunction with the national holiday.

The Trumps held their first Easter Egg Roll in a less crowded and much more mellow fashion than the Obamas, who hosted, among others, singer Beyoncé, NBA athletes, Washington Redskins players and “Frozen” voice actress Idina Menzel. Washington elites sniffed at the Trumps’ low-key Egg Roll, but the event was in keeping with Trump’s habit of eschewing extravagant celebrations as president. Trump’s Inauguration Day festivities also adhered to a relatively low-key standard. (go to page 2 to continue reading) [lz_pagination]