Trump: ‘Iran has been wiped out. Communism is a cancer’

On the evening of 4 July, Donald Trump had vowed that not even adverse weather conditions – heavy thunderstorms over Washington – would prevent him from delivering his speech to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. And so it was; the president spoke during the night in Italy. “For 250 years, the United States of America has been the hope, the promise, the light and the glory amongst all the nations of the world,” said Trump in his 40-minute speech. “All over the world, people try to be like us. No one can be like us. And with God’s help, we will always be like this, or even better.”

Trump spoke at length about US military power, repeating that the Iranian armed forces had been “wiped out” during this year’s war. “America is a nation of winners, and today our country is winning again,” he said whilst speaking from the stage on the National Mall, urging Congress to pass the bill requiring voter identification and restricting the use of postal voting – known as the “Save America Act” – which is currently stalled in Congress. “There will be no postal voting,” Trump predicted, barring a few exceptions relating to illness or disability.

During his speech, the tycoon spoke of American heroes, from Davy Crockett to the Wright brothers, right through to the Marines who fought at Iwo Jima, introducing the crew of the Artemis II spacecraft on stage: ‘We will go to the Moon and from there we will continue on to Mars. You know, we created the Space Force, and it’s something I’m very proud of. Some people smiled, thinking it was madness, and now they’re realising it’s one of the most important things we’ve done. We were lagging behind China and Russia in space, and now we’re overtaking them by leaps and bounds,” said Trump in his speech on the National Mall.

Then came another attack on communism. “The Stars and Stripes has already consigned the hammer and sickle to oblivion in the past, and will do so again if necessary,” said Trump, drawing a parallel between the Cold War and current events: he claimed that communism had shown “its hideous face right here in America”, adding: “It’s like a cancer: it must be eradicated, and it must be done quickly.” Trump invited veterans onto the stage to pay tribute to historic flags. One flag flew on D-Day, he recounted; another, he added, was draped over Abraham Lincoln’s coffin.