In his Independence Day speech in 2019, President Donald Trump declared, “The faraway King would soon learn a timeless lesson about the people of this majestic land: Americans love our freedom and no one will ever take it away from us.”
Yet, six years and a second Trump presidential term later, approximately 5 million Americans participated in a “No Kings” protest, challenging a growing threat to that very freedom – Trump himself.
With the Fourth of July approaching, Americans, including myself, are left wondering what the holiday might look and feel like, given the state of the nation. Once a celebration of liberty and democratic independence, Independence Day feels fraught — even contradictory — in a moment when many of the freedoms it honors appear under siege.
To examine the feelings around July 4, we must first examine patriotism: what it once was and what it has become under a Trump presidency.
We may define patriotism as “the vigorous devotion to one’s country.” However, lately, people perceive this attachment extends unconditionally, no matter the leadership, policy, or justice. Supporters of the current presidential regime have transformed their love into loyalty to a single leader, rather than to the Constitution, the rule of law, or shared national values.
For some, to be patriotic now means endorsing Trump’s vision of America, one without checks and balances or equal protection under the law – one that demands loyalty. Trump’s America treats dissenting opinions and critical thinking as opposition and treason.
This transformation is not just rhetorical—it’s institutional. During his first term, Trump repeatedly undermined key democratic norms: refusing to concede a lawful election, pressuring state officials to overturn results, and encouraging the January 6 insurrection, where rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to halt the peaceful transfer of power.
Despite these actions, Trump returned to office in 2024 and continued a rampage of unconstitutional acts.
What we are witnessing is the normalization of illiberal governance. Laws targeting educators, protesters, LGBTQ+ individuals, and journalists continue to pass at the state level with tacit support from federal leadership. Trump has actively barred security clearances for media outlets that opposed him, including in national press conferences.
With fear all around, Americans are being forced to reevaluate what it means to love their country.
University of Iowa student Corentin Charles highlighted the most common misconception of patriotism.
“I think patriotism is being mistaken for nationalism. Patriotism is understanding one’s country and aiming to improve it,” Charles said. “It means you stand by it in times of crisis, not necessarily for the government, but for the people.”
So, where does that leave this year’s celebration of July 4? It seems almost hypocritical, given the situation of the nation.
It could mean to disengage. Skipping the fireworks and avoiding the flag may be its own form of protest or defiance against the country. It could also mean an opportunity to reclaim the holiday.
But July 4 was never about perfection; it was about defiance. People fought for their freedom from a tyrannical king and colonization. To be patriotic, then, is not to stand by silently when our freedoms are under threat, but to speak out, to resist, and to demand better, just as the millions on June 14 did.
“You can be patriotic and revolutionary, just as you can be patriotic and fervently militaristic. It just depends on the state of the country,” Charles said. “Right now, it is the first.”
It is entirely possible to love your country and celebrate its independence while also holding it accountable. That may be the most American act of all.