July 4th Events Curtailed, The Week in Politics, A Funeral For Iran’s Supreme Leader
Up First from NPR
July 4th Events Curtailed, The Week in Politics, A Funeral For Iran’s Supreme Leader
00:00 / 17:02
AI Summary
This special July 4th episode of NPR's Up First covers America's 250th Independence Day celebrations amid political divisions and a severe heat wave. President Trump spoke at Mount Rushmore, framing the holiday around themes of internal threats and immigration, while bypassing the bipartisan commission created to celebrate the milestone. The extreme heat forced many communities to cancel or scale back traditional parades and fireworks displays. The episode also explores how Americans' patriotic sentiment has become more subdued compared to the bicentennial celebrations of 1976, with polls showing declining optimism. The political segment examines the Supreme Court's recent contentious decisions, President Trump's financial disclosures showing over a billion dollars earned in his first year back in office, and emerging fractures in both major political parties. Former Trump allies Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene are reportedly considering forming a new political party, signaling potential splintering of the traditional two-party system. The episode concludes with coverage of the elaborate funeral ceremonies in Iran for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes four months earlier, with massive crowds attending multi-day ceremonies across five cities.
Key takeaways
- 01America's 250th Independence Day celebrations were significantly curtailed by an intense heat wave, with many cities canceling parades and fireworks for public safety
- 02President Trump's Mount Rushmore speech focused on internal threats and immigration rather than traditional unity themes, bypassing the bipartisan commission meant to organize celebrations
- 03Americans are showing less patriotism and optimism than in previous years, with polls indicating lower patriotic sentiment compared to the 1976 bicentennial and even lower than some other countries
- 04President Trump's financial disclosures revealed over a billion dollars in earnings during his first year back in office, raising conflict of interest questions
- 05Both major U.S. political parties are experiencing internal fractures, with former Trump allies considering forming a new party and Democratic Socialists gaining ground in primaries
Timestamps
Topics
Guests
Brian Mann
NPR correspondent covering the July 4th celebrations and street interviews in New York City
Ron Elving
NPR Senior Contributor providing political analysis on the Supreme Court session and American political divisions
Hadeel al-Shalchi
NPR correspondent covering Iran's funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from Istanbul
Companies mentioned
Quotes
"There is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success."
— President Trump
"These are the times that try men's souls. So I think that our democracy is being stretched to the limit."
— Linda Soskos
"How I'm going to be celebrating the Fourth of July is I'm going to light some firecrackers and stuff like that. And we also saw the Statue of Liberty."
— Logan Longsworth
"Both sides are finding it increasingly difficult to enforce party unity, difficult even to appeal to party spirit or plead for party cohesion."
— Ron Elving
Transcript
250 years ago today, a declaration of independence from British rule, a prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. I'm Scott Simon. I'm Aisha Roscoe, and this is Up First from NPR News. Americans celebrate with events and communities all over the country. Last night at Mount Rushmore. Two years ago they laughed at us. Now it's only respect, and I want to tell you the best is yet to come. If things are going so well, why do the president's former Republican allies want to create a new political party? And a funeral begins in Tehran for the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. So stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend. As America marks 250 years, remember we the people make a free press possible. Together we hold the powerful to account with reporting for the public, funded by the public at plus.npr.org. This week on Shorewave, working from home is popular. Auto commute? Sweatpants. People who do it say it makes them happier. And the data suggests they're probably wrong about that, on average at least. We unpack a new study about the social isolation of remote work and what it means for your health. This week on Shorewave, NPR Science Podcast. Listen daily on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, it's Terry Gross, the host of Fresh Air. Catch my interview about the birth of the culture wars. Even breakfast cereals have become part of the culture wars. Author…