The Party’s Over. But Trump’s America 250 Anniversary May Never End.
The Trump administration says it plans to shut down Freedom 250, the quasi-private organization it used to take over the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. But that doesn’t mean the president’s efforts to hijack the nation’s semiquincentennial have ended. Trump is continuing to weaponize the anniversary as he combats what he claims are overly woke institutions. […]
The Trump administration intends to dismantle Freedom 250, the organization it utilized to oversee the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations, but this does not signal the end of President Trump's attempts to seize control of the nation's semiquincentennial. The president is still leveraging the anniversary to justify his self-promoting construction projects in Washington and to combat perceived overly politically correct institutions.
Despite the shutdown, Freedom 250's fundraising operation remains active, drawing scrutiny from congressional Democrats who plan to intensify their investigations if they gain control of Congress in November. The nonprofit National Park Foundation, overseen by the Interior Department, operates the limited liability company, making its operations and use of federal funds opaque.
The group has received $86 million in funding, which is set to expire by the end of 2028, and Event Strategies, Inc., a company linked to Trump's campaign operations, retains a contract to organize festivities worth up to $100 million until 2030. Democrats point out that this could enable ESI to continue hosting events and constructing projects under the president's personal agenda until 2030.
Freedom 250 and the National Park Foundation claim the Democrats should not be concerned, as they anticipate the LLC will dissolve in the near future. However, lawmakers question whether GOP operatives have utilized anniversary events to gather personal data from attendees for potential use in the midterm elections. Trump and his allies have staged numerous events nominally celebrating the anniversary, funded mostly through congressional appropriations, but these festivities prioritize spectacle over commemoration of the nation's history.
Democrats are also investigating Freedom 250's fundraising practices, accusing the group of being a "slush fund for wealthy corporations and insiders to buy influence with the White House." Even if Freedom 250 ultimately ceases to exist, its leadership remains active in GOP electoral efforts.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
