U.S. Marks 250th Anniversary Amid Turmoil: An Uncertain Path for Global Order and Democracy

The United States is celebrating its 250th Independence Day during a period of turbulence that no one could have anticipated.
July 4 (local time) marks the 250th anniversary of the day the 13 original colonies on the U.S. East Coast declared independence from British colonial rule in 1776.
This is the significance behind the 250th-anniversary slogan, "Freedom 250."
Coupled with the pride of being the world's current leading superpower, this year's Independence Day has been designated as a "Salute to America" day.
Commemorative events for the 250th anniversary are being held across the country, including the "Great American Exhibition," which kicked off in the capital, Washington D.C., on June 24.
An unprecedented "UFC match on the White House lawn" was held on June 14, and racing car competitions are also taking place through the streets of Washington.
The highlights will be the international naval review in New York, the largest city in the U.S., on July 4, and a record-breaking fireworks display in Washington.
The 850,000 fireworks set to be launched will break a Guinness World Record.
With the 2026 North America World Cup (co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico) currently underway, the entire nation is filled with an excited atmosphere celebrating the 250th anniversary of its founding.
However, the world's perspective on America's 250th anniversary is inevitably complex.
It also appears difficult for all Americans to fully enjoy the festivities without concern.

At the center of the world's mixed gaze toward the U.S. is President Donald Trump, who turned 80 this year.
Domestically, he also stands at the center of nearly every controversy.
After surprising the world with his bold and unilateral tariff, border, and anti-immigration policies at the start of his second term last year, President Trump brought even greater shock from the beginning of this year—the 250th anniversary of the nation—with the arrest of the Venezuelan president and the launch of a war against Iran.
The Iran war, which remains "unfinished" amid alternating phases of negotiation and deadlock, was launched under the pretext of denuclearization. However, pessimistic views persist even within the U.S. that it will end empty-handed, only exacerbating the global economic pain caused by soaring oil prices.
If Iran proceeds with its threat to collect tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, negative public opinion regarding the war is expected to gain further momentum.
With megaton-level issues erupting incessantly, President Trump has shaken global affairs to such an extent that the attempted annexation of Greenland, a Danish territory and NATO ally, has been pushed to the background of international attention.
Through the World Wars, the Cold War, and the post-Cold War era, the U.S. established itself as a global superpower and the leader of the free world.
As such, it had internalized a degree of caution and restraint in projecting its power, with few exceptions since the end of the Cold War. However, the prevailing assessment is that the U.S. under Trump's second term is different.
In Latin America, which it considers its own sphere of influence, the U.S. has forcibly sunk civilian vessels in international waters suspected of drug trafficking instead of leaving them to judicial processes, and has openly intervened in the politics, elections, and even oil extraction of various countries.
Europe, a comrade and ally, was no exception.
Starting with pressure for European nations to increase defense spending, the U.S. clashed with them over tariff and non-tariff barriers, and openly supported politicians who aligned with President Trump.
For those who did not, he did not hesitate to use harsh rhetoric.
By promoting "MAGA" (Make America Great Again) and resetting relationships with allies and neighbors, some even interpret his actions as an attempt to build a "global right-wing alliance" unseen in the diplomatic history of the past 250 years.
Major Asian allies, including South Korea and Japan, are not outside the target range.
Under the overarching theme of hegemonic competition with China, they are in a situation where they must implement large-scale investments in the U.S. using tariffs as leverage, while discussions regarding increased defense spending and the redeployment of U.S. troops continue.
This appearance of the U.S. overturning the international order it built with its own power and leadership can be seen as consistent with concerns about a "crisis of democracy" raised within the U.S.
The tariff and anti-immigration policies, which bypassed congressional deliberation and checks through "executive order politics" last year, faced a Supreme Court ruling of illegality and the death of a protester earlier this year, respectively. Yet, President Trump appears undeterred and ready to push forward.
Critics point out that investigations and budget cuts targeting states led by Democratic governors, retaliation against political opponents, disregard for Congress and the judiciary, and criticism and lawsuits against unfriendly media are eroding the values of American-style democracy—the democratic republic and federal system built over the past 250 years.
As the midpoint of Trump's second term approaches, the midterm elections in November, which will elect all members of the House of Representatives and about one-third of the Senate, are expected to determine whether Trump-style politics will continue to gain momentum or be checked by a shifted congressional landscape.
As the U.S. celebrates the 250th anniversary of the first modern democratic republic—a nation of significant importance to both American and world history—the global community is watching to see whether President Trump's variant of leadership will strengthen further, or if the resilience of the democratic political system that the U.S. has maintained for two and a half centuries will be confirmed.
In his State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on February 24, four days before the airstrikes on Iran, President Trump said, "The revolution of 1776 is not over. Because the flame of freedom and independence still burns in the hearts of every American patriot, that revolution is still ongoing."
(Photo: White House website capture, AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.