As America’s 250th birthday approaches, tension builds between traditional and progressive visions for the historic celebration. Rosie Rios faces intense criticism from conservatives who question her commitment to American values and fear she may undermine patriotic celebrations. How might Rios’s leadership ruin a patriotic celebration?
Battle Lines Drawn Over America’s Birthday Celebration
A significant controversy is brewing over who should shape America’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration and what values it should reflect. Rosie Rios, a Biden appointee and former Obama administration treasurer, currently leads the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission tasked with planning the historic milestone, drawing sharp criticism from conservative voices.
Critics including Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research, have vocally opposed Rios’s leadership, claiming she has “trashed President Trump, downplayed the Founding Fathers, and pushed woke identity politics.” Conservative opponents argue that Rios has demonstrated divided loyalties between Mexico and the United States, making her unsuitable to lead such a significant American celebration.
Rios celebrated Mexicans overtaking US-born citizens demographically, insisting it’s “not our geography that defines us. Again, I am as much Mexican as I am American” while speaking in 2015. pic.twitter.com/mpbyjDE9UG
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) April 30, 2025
Military Parade Plans Reveal Competing Visions
Parallel to the commission controversy, Washington is preparing for a large military parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary, scheduled for June 14th—which also happens to be President Trump’s 79th birthday. The parade will feature thousands of service members and military vehicles, with estimated costs reaching up to $45 million.
Trump has expressed enthusiasm for the celebration, stating, “We’re going to have a big, big celebration, as you know, 250 years. We have the greatest missiles in the world, the greatest submarines in the world, the greatest army tanks in the world, the greatest weapons in the world, and we’re going to celebrate it.”
The timing and nature of the parade have sparked criticism from Democrats who view it as Trump emulating authoritarian leaders. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) remarked, “Donald Trump is not alone among world leaders in wanting a parade. In fact, I think he derives inspiration from other world leaders he emulates.”
Rios has attacked Trump directly for his “demonizing” rhetoric that’s “difficult” to hear.
“The most difficult is, like, what can we do now? How can we move forward? And this is not time to retreat; it's time to advance and embrace who we are. That we not be silent, and be proud… pic.twitter.com/RfBvUuoUCC
— Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) April 30, 2025
Conservative Pushback Against Progressive Leadership
Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) has joined calls for Rios’s removal from the commission, stating, “The person in charge of our 250th anniversary shouldn’t struggle to choose between America and another country.” Critics point to Rios’s past statements and her focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion messaging as evidence that she may not deliver the traditionally patriotic celebration they envision.
Some conservatives have cited Rios’s emphasis on “Founding Mothers” like Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony over the traditional Founding Fathers as evidence of a progressive agenda. The Trump v. Wilcox decision has been referenced by those calling for her removal, suggesting that President Trump would have the authority to replace her upon taking office.
Administration officials defend the military parade as a showcase of military readiness and achievements under Trump’s leadership. The service members participating will stay in government facilities, and a fitness competition is scheduled to take place on the National Mall as part of the broader celebration.