Donald Trump Tells Americans To ‘Hold The Date’ For July 4, Twitter Cracks Up, ‘You Didn’t Invent July 4’
In a Sunday morning post on his Twitter account, Donald Trump told Americans to “HOLD THE DATE” for a Fourth of July celebration in Washington D.C., that would feature a “Major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!” But Twitter users were not impressed by what many of them saw as Trump’s attempt to take credit for inventing the idea of a Fourth of July celebration.
One Democratic member of Congress, Eric Swalwell, replied on his own Twitter account with some sarcasm.
“If this goes well, I think we should follow it with a big party in Times Square the night before New Year’s Day,” Swalwell tweeted.
But whether Trump was simply announcing that he would deliver a speech at the already planned Fourth of July celebration in Washington D.C., or at an all-new, competing celebration, remained unclear from his tweet. As a report by Cox News Service noted, Trump’s announcement could signal that there will be “dueling” Fourth of July events taking place at opposite ends of the National Mall.
Every year since 1979, Congress has sponsored an Independence Day celebration under the title A Capitol Fourth. The event, which features fireworks and musical performances, is hosted by a celebrity presenter, or in some cases, a team of presenters. PBS has broadcast the show each year, regularly ranking among the most-watched PBS programs each year.
Other Twitter users, including Vox.com editor Matthew Iglesias and former Associated Press reporter Ron Fournier, also met Trump’s puzzling proclamation with sarcasm.
HOLD THE DATE! We will be having one of the biggest religious celebrations in the history of Christianity on Dec. 25th. It will be called “Christmas” and everybody will gets gifts! Thanks to your favorite president, me! https://t.co/iHlYAnRzOh
— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) February 24, 2019
HOLD THE DATE! We will be having one of the biggest candy giveaways in history on October 31st. It will be called “Halloween” and will be held in every neighborhood. Major pumpkin displays.
— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) February 24, 2019
HOLD THE DATE! On November 3, 2020, we will be holding one of the biggest displays ever of patriotism and standing up for the rights and futures of all Americans when we vote Trump and his Republican allies out. Major displays of a blue wave and progressive values.
— Christina Reynolds (@creynoldsnc) February 24, 2019
huh. parades and fireworks on the 4th of July. weird how in 240 years no one else has thought to do this. sir, you're amazing, where do you get these ideas? but the only fireworks I'm interested in is our president's twitter tantrum when Individual-1 Junior finally gets indicted
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) February 24, 2019
So basically you are going to ruin the normal 4th of July festivities in Washington DC by making it all about you
— Noble Prize in Bank Runs (@rewegreatyet) February 24, 2019
Trump today said that "America's Favorite President" will be at his Fourth of July Celebration in Washington DC.
Since when did he start making announcements regarding Obama's schedule?
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 24, 2019
Please call the men in white to take away Grampy before he pees on the carpet. DUDE YOU DIDN’T INVENT JULY 4! YOU ARE NOT A FAVORITE PRESIDENT! HELL, YOU’RE NOT A REAL PRESIDENT AT ALL!
— Katherine (@beckiluk) February 24, 2019
Trump has previously called for a massive military parade to take place in Washington D.C., though the parade would have been scheduled for Veterans Day in November. But as Axios noted, Trump was forced to scrap that idea (at least temporarily) after the Pentagon and local D.C. officials objected to the cost of Trump’s proposed parade — estimated at $92 million.
Trump also claimed that his “Salute to America” would rank as “one of the biggest gatherings in the history of Washington, D.C.” That would put it in competition with the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama, which drew an estimated 1.8 million people to the National Mall, according to Politifact.
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King drew an estimated 250,000 to his now-legendary “I Have a Dream” speech, which was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, as CNN recounts. The attendance at King’s speech was especially noteworthy because the event was not connected to any national holiday or official occasion.
