Trump Holds “America Is Back” Rally, Kicking Off Great American State Fair

By Grant Bromley

on Jun 24, 2026 • Updated Jun 26, 2026

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On June 24, President Trump hosted a "Rally To America," kicking off the controversial Great American State Fair.
On June 24, President Trump hosted an "America Is Back" rally, kicking off the controversial Great American State Fair. (Photo credit: Donald Trump / Facebook)

After weeks of controversy, the Great American State Fair is opening, with President Donald Trump ushering in the event.

Kicking it off on Wednesday, June 24, Trump held one of his classic rallies, but with the backdrop of the National Mall and the significance of America turning 250.

From June 25 to July 10, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., will be the site of the Great American State Fair.

There, a ferris wheel has been added to the skyline of the nation’s capital, and the grounds will also see concerts, exhibits, a rodeo and more.

Of course, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has also been painstakingly renovated, removed of algae, and cleaned — all to coincide with 250 years of America.

All of this awaits attendees of the fair, and Trump welcomed them at his celebratory rally.

Regardless, the celebration of America250 has been a preoccupation for Trump, who has spent much of his time over the past decade of non-consecutive terms in office seeking to restore American pride and spirit.

Back in 2015, when he first announced he was running for president, Trump said, “We need somebody that can take the brand of the United States and make it great again.”

Attendees Sing National Anthem, Hear Rousing Marine Cover Of Toby Keith’s “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue,” And See Dazzling Flyovers

After the United States Ceremonial Flag Unit presented the colors on stage, with flags from all 50 states, Alexis Wilkins performed the National Anthem.

Accompanied by the President’s Own United States Marine Band in leading attendees in the singing of the National Anthem, Wilkins is a country singer who frequently performs the National Anthem at Turning Point USA events.

Wilkins is also, notably, dating FBI Dir. Kash Patel.

Ahead of the performance, Wilkins posted on Instagram, writing, “What a great honor to be a part of the 250th anniversary of our great nation.”

Watch her stunning performance, here:

RELATED: Meet FBI Director Kash Patel’s Country Singer Girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins

Then, following her performance, Master Gunnery Sgt. Alan Prather of the United States Marine Band performed Toby Keith’s Courtesy of The Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” on acoustic guitar.

Starting on his own, Prather was then joined by the United States Marine Band.

Notably, he did perform the song censored, excluding the famous line about where a boot can go.

Watch Master Gunnery Sgt. Prather’s performance, here:

See the Air Force’s montage of all of the night’s flyovers, here:

Maj. Taylor Hiester, commander and pilot for the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, shared a video of his flyover to social media, but from a unique vantage: inside the cockpit.

Leading up to his flyover, Maj. Hiester wrote an op-ed for Washington Reporter, reflecting upon the meaning of participating in flyovers at patriotic events as well as serving in the military.

There, he wrote:

“On June 24, my team opens the Great America’s State Fair Kick Off in our commemorative F-16 painted red, white and blue. Behind us will come the B-2 and F-35. The following day, eight aircraft will fly in formation alongside our B52 Stratofortress. That is the entire arc of American airpower in one piece of sky.”

He added, “This airplane, this celebration, this country — all that she ever was and all that she can be, will always belong to the people. So will I … Happy birthday, America.”

Speaking to Fox News after his flyover, he recalled that he said over the radio to the other pilots, “Long live the Republic, and God bless America.”

Watch the F-16 Demonstration Viper Team’s flyover from inside the cockpit, featuring the Washington Monument in the background, here:

See the F-16 Viper Demo Team’s flyover from another angle, here:

Lee Greenwood Introduces President Trump With Performance Of “God Bless The USA”

Introducing Trump for what he has dubbed as the “America Is Back” rally was Lee Greenwood, who performed his 1984 hit “God Bless The USA,” which has become a staple of Trump political rallies over the past decade.

“Hello America, Freedom 250!” exclaimed Lee Greenwood as he started singing.

While the song is one of his most known and most frequently performed, thanks in part to Trump, Greenwood performed the song with great gusto.

Then, after the first chorus, he said:

“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my privilege to introduce you to the 45th president of the United States and the 47th president of the United States, our commander-in-chief, Donald J. Trump.”

Greenwood was then embraced by Trump as he sang, and a flyover conducted by the F-35 Lightning II went past the Washington Monument and over the crowd.

At the end of the song, Greenwood declared, “God bless our president!”

Watch Greenwood’s performance, here:

See the F-35 flyover, up close, here:

See an attendee’s video of the stealth B-2 Bomber flyover, here:

See another flyover, with the F-35 A Lightning II, here:

Trump Declares America Is In “A Golden Age” At “America Is Back” Rally

“10 days from now, our country will celebrate one of the most monumental milestone in human history: we will mark 250 years of glorious American freedom,” Trump stated.

Noting that the nation’s founding fathers gathered in 1776 to sign the Declaration of Independence, Trump went on to say, “They proclaimed the eternal truth that we are endowed by our Creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We’re all made — and you know that — free and equal by the hand of Almighty God.”

He then stated, “Those timeless American principles did not just win a revolution, but they built us into the greatest, strongest, and most exceptional nation the world has ever known.”

Joking, Trump said, “In the American Revolution, they had a saying, ‘No tax on tea.’ But with the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, we did even better — we gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security.”

Last year, on July 4, 2025, Trump signed the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which also initiated Trump Accounts which will help parents invest in their children’s future.

Looking to the present, Trump touted that America has the strongest economy and military in the world, and then said, “I am proud to declare that America is back!”

Trump also celebrated the recent signing of the MOU peace deal with Iran, as well as the successful military action in Venezuela at the beginning of the year.

Speaking on the results of the conflict with Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury, he declared:

“For the first time in 3,000 years, we are finally going to have peace in the Middle East.”

Watch Trump’s remarks at the rally, here:

Youtube video

Watch the full rally, here:

Youtube video

Upcoming Freedom 250 Events, Including The “Largest Fireworks Display In History”

Beyond Trump’s “America Is Back” rally, there are several other events being put on by Freedom 250 to commemorate America’s milestone.

Those events include:

  • The Great American State Fair (June 25-July 10);
  • Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library opening (July 1);
  • Rushmore 250 (July 3);
  • Salute To America 250 (July 4); and
  • The Patriot Games (Aug. 9).

During Trump’s speech on June 24 at the kick off for the fair, he noted that the fireworks on July 4 in Washington, D.C., will be the largest firework show in history.

“I’ll be very proudly speaking as we ring in our 250th year with the largest fireworks display in world history,” Trump said. “10 times larger than any that we’ve ever done in Washington or anywhere in the United States.”

According to the website for Salute To America 250, there will be “850,000 fireworks shells launched from 10 sites: Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, 8 Potomac River barges, and West Potomac Park.”

The festivities on July 4 begin at 1 p.m., with the live broadcast including guest speakers and the firework show starting at 7 p.m.

See a video of the full schedule of upcoming Freedom 250 events, here:

RELATED: Freedom 250 Announces Rodeo 250 – Get All The Details

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About the Author

Grant Bromley

Howdy, I’m Grant, a multimedia storyteller and lover of the arts. Whether it’s Copland’s ballet Rodeo or Peckinpah’s iconic Western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, I have an appreciation for works that engage with the American mythos. Covering news, I help tell the stories that define our shared tomorrow.

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