Trump Unleashes Freedom 250: Patriotic Revival to Dazzle Times Square

Paul Riverbank, 12/27/2025A grand Times Square celebration marks America's 250th birthday with unity, spectacle, and patriotic events.

Rosie Rios, the spirited chair behind the America250 Commission, made it a point not to undersell the spectacle. "Whatever you think this will be, expect something grander," she teased recently. The nod isn’t just to pageantry; at 12:04 a.m., the so-called Constellation Ball—a gleaming, hefty sphere, strung together from over 2,600 crystal triangles and weighing close to the size of a box truck—will light up with a newly designed, patriotic glow. And as it ascends, beneath the ‘2026’ numerals bathing the square in color, there’ll be an eruption of confetti—an actual tonnage of it, more than the clean-up crews might care to imagine.

Layered on top: a carefully produced video reel, “America Turns 250.” Ray Charles will croon “America the Beautiful,” his soulful voice rising above the crowd’s murmur, lending gravity to the night. Times Square has never quite seen a confetti drop after midnight, but this anniversary aims to set a new tradition.

The Times Square Alliance and the team at One Times Square have thrown their weight behind the partnership with America250. They’re also preparing an equally ambitious display for July 3—a double ball drop on the eve of Independence Day, promising another swirl of light and sound. “Nobody does spectacle quite like Times Square,” Rios remarked, half laughing.

And it’s not a flash-in-the-pan celebration. Over the coming year, hundreds of events—some city-scale, others as intimate as neighborhood gatherings—will sweep across the nation. Even the iconic Rose Parade in California is on board, with plans for a float that features three bald eagles, one for each chapter of the nation: its past, its today, and its yet-to-be-written future.

Rios and her team want every American to take part—whether that means standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Manhattan or organizing a backyard gathering in Montana. “We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea,” she said. The symbolism is as much about connection as it is about spectacle: New York to California, city to small town.

One significant addition to the anniversary is America Gives. This nationwide push for volunteerism isn’t just a feel-good footnote; it has its sights set on tallying more community service hours than ever before. Rios envisions everything from environmental cleanups to meal deliveries, crediting the power of local involvement: “Give folks options, and let them choose their own way to pitch in.”

And it’s not only Rios and her commission raising their voices. President Donald Trump, seeking his own place in the proceedings, unveiled the “Freedom 250” initiative—another round of festivities, alongside ideas like the “Patriot Games,” a competition where top high school athletes from every state square off on the national stage.

Back on the East Coast, the Washington Monument will participate as well, transformed nightly into a glowing “birthday candle.” Each show will narrate a piece of American history, stretching from colonial days onward. The hope? A moment, even briefly, that connects young and old, urban and rural, blue states and red, under a single, illuminated sky.

None of this pomp, of course, is immune to skepticism. Organizers know the difficulties involved in finding common ground in a nation this vast and varied. As Rios herself admits, “If we can find something for everyone... well, that’s how you engage 350 million people.”

The plans for 2026 flirt with the extravagant, risk the sentimental, and reach for unity at a time when the word itself can feel heavy. But as the midnight hour comes, amid all the cameras and hushed anticipation, the country’s oldest dreams—however messy or hopeful they may be—might just flicker a little brighter, at least for one night.

Come the early minutes of 2026, New York’s Times Square will have more than just its customary cascade of confetti and cheers. The familiar fall of the midnight ball—the moment everyone watches, from bustling crowds squeezed into the square to families huddled around televisions—isn’t getting retired, but it is sharing the stage. Just after the clamor fades from the initial countdown, a second act will unfold: a second drop, this time draped in bright red, white, and blue, marking America’s 250th birthday.Rosie Rios, the spirited chair behind the America250 Commission, made it a point not to undersell the spectacle. "Whatever you think this will be, expect something grander," she teased recently. The nod isn’t just to pageantry; at 12:04 a.m., the so-called Constellation Ball—a gleaming, hefty sphere, strung together from over 2,600 crystal triangles and weighing close to the size of a box truck—will light up with a newly designed, patriotic glow. And as it ascends, beneath the ‘2026’ numerals bathing the square in color, there’ll be an eruption of confetti—an actual tonnage of it, more than the clean-up crews might care to imagine.Layered on top: a carefully produced video reel, “America Turns 250.” Ray Charles will croon “America the Beautiful,” his soulful voice rising above the crowd’s murmur, lending gravity to the night. Times Square has never quite seen a confetti drop after midnight, but this anniversary aims to set a new tradition.The Times Square Alliance and the team at One Times Square have thrown their weight behind the partnership with America250. They’re also preparing an equally ambitious display for July 3—a double ball drop on the eve of Independence Day, promising another swirl of light and sound. “Nobody does spectacle quite like Times Square,” Rios remarked, half laughing.And it’s not a flash-in-the-pan celebration. Over the coming year, hundreds of events—some city-scale, others as intimate as neighborhood gatherings—will sweep across the nation. Even the iconic Rose Parade in California is on board, with plans for a float that features three bald eagles, one for each chapter of the nation: its past, its today, and its yet-to-be-written future.Rios and her team want every American to take part—whether that means standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Manhattan or organizing a backyard gathering in Montana. “We want to ring in this new year from sea to shining sea,” she said. The symbolism is as much about connection as it is about spectacle: New York to California, city to small town.One significant addition to the anniversary is America Gives. This nationwide push for volunteerism isn’t just a feel-good footnote; it has its sights set on tallying more community service hours than ever before. Rios envisions everything from environmental cleanups to meal deliveries, crediting the power of local involvement: “Give folks options, and let them choose their own way to pitch in.”And it’s not only Rios and her commission raising their voices. President Donald Trump, seeking his own place in the proceedings, unveiled the “Freedom 250” initiative—another round of festivities, alongside ideas like the “Patriot Games,” a competition where top high school athletes from every state square off on the national stage.Back on the East Coast, the Washington Monument will participate as well, transformed nightly into a glowing “birthday candle.” Each show will narrate a piece of American history, stretching from colonial days onward. The hope? A moment, even briefly, that connects young and old, urban and rural, blue states and red, under a single, illuminated sky.None of this pomp, of course, is immune to skepticism. Organizers know the difficulties involved in finding common ground in a nation this vast and varied. As Rios herself admits, “If we can find something for everyone... well, that’s how you engage 350 million people.”The plans for 2026 flirt with the extravagant, risk the sentimental, and reach for unity at a time when the word itself can feel heavy. But as the midnight hour comes, amid all the cameras and hushed anticipation, the country’s oldest dreams—however messy or hopeful they may be—might just flicker a little brighter, at least for one night.