Preparation for the Great American State Fair is underway on the National Mall as part of America’s 250th birthday celebrations. This initiative was expected to be handled by a congressional commission. However, President Trump bypassed this commission to establish his own group, leading to a highly partisan event.

A decade prior to the United States’ 250th anniversary, Congress formed a bipartisan commission, America 250, with the task of preparing for the celebration. This commission was responsible for creating infrastructure projects, educational materials, and facilitating activities appropriate for such an important milestone.

As July 4th approaches, however, a new entity named Freedom 250, formed by President Trump, has assumed control of major festivities. Freedom 250 is not only planning events like erecting a triumphal arch and a National Garden of American Heroes, but it’s also organizing a grand state fair on the National Mall. The organization made headlines last weekend by hosting a UFC cage match on the White House lawn.

The existence of these two separate groups highlights a story of governmental inefficiency and significant partisanship at a time when the nation typically seeks unity. President Trump’s initiative reflects his willingness to override Congressional decisions and imprint his personal brand on national events.

Congressional Democrats criticize Freedom 250, viewing it as a takeover of what should have been a bipartisan celebration. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman from New Jersey, who has been involved with the America 250 commission since 2019, described Freedom 250 as a personal project initiated by the President for egoistic reasons.