Despite extreme heat and deep political divisions, Americans celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, as President Trump delivers a controversial speech at Mount Rushmore targeting immigrants and the left. Former Trump allies plan a new political party, Trump's wealth surges over $1 billion, and Iran buries Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after his death in Israeli airstrikes four months ago. Trump's Mount Rushmore speech shifted from traditional Independence Day themes to darker partisan rhetoric, likening internal political opponents to threats comparable to Pearl Harbor and 9/11.