Trump and Mamdani offer rival visions as U.S. awaits Belgium match
The nation’s 250th anniversary brought political clashes in Washington and New York, while the U.S. men face Belgium in the World Cup.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
President Trump and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked America’s 250th anniversary with sharply different messages about the country, according to NPR. The holiday weekend also put the U.S. men’s national soccer team on the brink of a World Cup quarterfinal, with Belgium up next.
In Washington, Trump spoke late Saturday at the National Mall after severe weather forced evacuations and delayed the program, NPR reported. His roughly half-hour address praised U.S. history, defended his war in Iran, criticized Democrats and included a pledge to restrict mail-in ballots.
Political speeches frame the anniversary
NPR’s Mara Liasson told Up First that Trump’s Independence Day remarks were openly political, as was a speech he delivered Friday at Mount Rushmore. Liasson said Trump called Democrats “communists,” using recent primary wins by some Democratic Socialists of America members to argue that the party as a whole has moved too far left.
Liasson said those primary wins may not have much effect in heavily Democratic districts, but some Democrats fear that candidates viewed as too far left could struggle in swing states and competitive House districts. She said Trump and Republicans are using the “communists” label as part of that broader attack.
The scene in Washington also included a march by the white nationalist group Patriot Front and a counterprotest, according to NPR. After Trump’s address, fireworks lit up the sky over the capital in a display the White House described as the largest in U.S. history.
Mamdani, one of the country’s most visible democratic socialists in elected office, spoke July 3 at New York City Hall to newly naturalized citizens, NPR reported. Liasson said Mamdani urged the United States to remain a refuge for people fleeing persecution and described patriotism as a love of country that recognizes its failures and protects dissent.
U.S. gets Balogun back against Belgium
The U.S. men’s national team plays Belgium tonight in what NPR described as its hardest World Cup test so far. The winner moves on to the quarterfinals.
Folarin Balogun, the Americans’ leading scorer in the tournament with three goals, is eligible to play after FIFA delayed his one-game suspension for a yearlong probationary period, NPR reported. The suspension stemmed from a red card for a cleat-first challenge.
NPR reported that Trump spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the red card. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee then took the unusual step of postponing the ban, clearing Balogun for any remaining U.S. matches in the tournament.
NPR’s Becky Sullivan said the red-card decision had been difficult from the start because the foul was not clear-cut and the contact appeared accidental. Sullivan said the referee made the call only after watching a slow-motion replay, and similar contact in other tournament matches has not been punished.
FIFA has not clearly explained how it reached its decision, Sullivan told NPR. That leaves the U.S. with its top scorer restored, but also with fresh scrutiny on how discipline is being handled during the tournament.
This story draws on original reporting from NPR.