France 24 is reporting that President Donald Trump marked the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence by hailing American exceptionalism and warning against a "sinister threat of communism." Speaking at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day, Trump called on Americans to protect the nation's freedoms against what he portrayed as a "communist" threat from progressive Democrats and "newcomers" to the country.
It said Trump's language evoked the 1950s Red Scare, a period when alleged communists faced persecution and blacklisting. The president stated there is a "resurgence of the communist menace in our land" and vowed, "America will never be a communist country!" He also said "newcomers" who embrace ideas opposed to the American way of life need to be expelled.
France 24 noted that Trump's remarks come as Americans grapple with persistent inflation and high gas prices following the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Republican lawmakers are increasingly concerned the conflict could impact midterm elections in November, especially after recent successes by left-wing Democratic candidates in New York City, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Trump previously called these victories "the greatest threat to our country since its founding." He was scheduled to address a crowd on the National Mall on Saturday.