As the United States celebrates its tercentenary on July Fourth, a wave of national pride and political polarization is sweeping across the nation, tempered by safety concerns as extreme heat grips much of the country. President Donald Trump will deliver a speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, while New York City will host a ball drop similar to New Year's Eve celebrations. The festivities are taking place amidst a backdrop of soaring temperatures, with the National Weather Service issuing an extreme heat warning for the Midwest and East Coast. In Washington D.C., hundreds of people gathered at the National Mall, snapping photos and trying to stay cool as they roamed the grounds of The Great American State Fair. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a speech that cast America as a nation of contradictions, striving for perfection while grappling with political polarization. As the country reflects on its history, it is also confronting the challenges of the present, including record heat and divisive rhetoric. The holiday is unfolding at a unique time in U.S. history, with the anniversary serving as an opportunity to both celebrate America's past and confront its current political divisions. Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, has organized much of the activity in Washington, while America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress, is behind the ball drops unfolding in many cities and hosting a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday. A survey conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults feel proud about the country's tercentenary, while roughly 3 in 10 said they are excited.