Fireworks explode above the Mount Rushmore National Monument during Donald Trump's event in Keystone, South Dakota, July 3, 2020. Saturday night, July 4th, the Trumps are hosting a "2020 Salute to America" on the South Lawn of the White House. The "Salute" will include a speech that Trump says would celebrate American "heritage", military flyovers, and a massive fireworks display expected to attract a huge crowd. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
With New Infections Soaring, The Trumps Host a July 4th Pandemic Party at the White House
The White House is preparing to change its messaging on the coronavirus, to tell Americans it simply has to be lived with.
Hundreds of thousands of people converged on a very hot Washington, DC Saturday afternoon, where U.S. President Donald Trump will host a private party in the midst of a pandemic. The Trumps are hosting a "2020 Salute to America" on the South Lawn of the White House. The "Salute" will include a speech that Trump says would celebrate American "heritage." The invitation-only event, will culminate in watching flyovers of military aircraft and a large-scale fireworks show on the National Mall.
Disregarding Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser's warnings of the risk of gathering as many U.S. states are spiking with record numbers of new COVID-19 cases.
Florida reported 11,458 new coronavirus cases Saturday, shattering its record for daily reported cases in the state since the pandemic began. Yesterday the US reported a third straight day with more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases. The US death toll has now risen to 132,223.
In his Mount Rushmore speech Friday night, Trump made little mention of the pandemic, even as COVID-19 moved further into Trump's inner circle. Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior campaign official and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before the event. Thousands in the crowd refused to wear masks or socially distance as they packed closely together in bleacher seating.
On Friday, NBC News reported that the White House is preparing to change its messaging on the coronavirus, to tell Americans it simply has to be lived with.
Trump claimed "a tremendous victory" was at hand. "It's going to happen and it's going to happen big," the president said in a July 4th message to the nation. "Our country will be greater than ever before."
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser had tried to dissuade the Trump administration from holding the July 4th fireworks display over the National Mall and informed the Department of the Interior that it went against health officials' guidance amid the pandemic.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Hundreds of thousands of people converged on a very hot Washington, DC Saturday afternoon, where U.S. President Donald Trump will host a private party in the midst of a pandemic. The Trumps are hosting a "2020 Salute to America" on the South Lawn of the White House. The "Salute" will include a speech that Trump says would celebrate American "heritage." The invitation-only event, will culminate in watching flyovers of military aircraft and a large-scale fireworks show on the National Mall.
Disregarding Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser's warnings of the risk of gathering as many U.S. states are spiking with record numbers of new COVID-19 cases.
Florida reported 11,458 new coronavirus cases Saturday, shattering its record for daily reported cases in the state since the pandemic began. Yesterday the US reported a third straight day with more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases. The US death toll has now risen to 132,223.
In his Mount Rushmore speech Friday night, Trump made little mention of the pandemic, even as COVID-19 moved further into Trump's inner circle. Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior campaign official and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before the event. Thousands in the crowd refused to wear masks or socially distance as they packed closely together in bleacher seating.
On Friday, NBC News reported that the White House is preparing to change its messaging on the coronavirus, to tell Americans it simply has to be lived with.
Trump claimed "a tremendous victory" was at hand. "It's going to happen and it's going to happen big," the president said in a July 4th message to the nation. "Our country will be greater than ever before."
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser had tried to dissuade the Trump administration from holding the July 4th fireworks display over the National Mall and informed the Department of the Interior that it went against health officials' guidance amid the pandemic.
Hundreds of thousands of people converged on a very hot Washington, DC Saturday afternoon, where U.S. President Donald Trump will host a private party in the midst of a pandemic. The Trumps are hosting a "2020 Salute to America" on the South Lawn of the White House. The "Salute" will include a speech that Trump says would celebrate American "heritage." The invitation-only event, will culminate in watching flyovers of military aircraft and a large-scale fireworks show on the National Mall.
Disregarding Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser's warnings of the risk of gathering as many U.S. states are spiking with record numbers of new COVID-19 cases.
Florida reported 11,458 new coronavirus cases Saturday, shattering its record for daily reported cases in the state since the pandemic began. Yesterday the US reported a third straight day with more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases. The US death toll has now risen to 132,223.
In his Mount Rushmore speech Friday night, Trump made little mention of the pandemic, even as COVID-19 moved further into Trump's inner circle. Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior campaign official and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., tested positive in South Dakota before the event. Thousands in the crowd refused to wear masks or socially distance as they packed closely together in bleacher seating.
On Friday, NBC News reported that the White House is preparing to change its messaging on the coronavirus, to tell Americans it simply has to be lived with.
Trump claimed "a tremendous victory" was at hand. "It's going to happen and it's going to happen big," the president said in a July 4th message to the nation. "Our country will be greater than ever before."
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser had tried to dissuade the Trump administration from holding the July 4th fireworks display over the National Mall and informed the Department of the Interior that it went against health officials' guidance amid the pandemic.