On Sunday, the United States celebrated its 250th anniversary of independence in Brussels' Parc du Cinquantenaire, a stone's throw from the European Union's main institutions. The invitation-only event, titled "250 Years of Independence: Building Our Future Together," drew nearly 10,000 guests, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
The festivities included baseball, a mechanical bull, line dancing, live music, a ceremonial flyover, and a drone and fireworks display. Many US military personnel stationed in Belgium attended. US Ambassador to Belgium, Bill White, opened the proceedings, followed by a video message from President Donald Trump, who thanked participants and noted that Belgians and Americans have "defended our common civilisation from the trenches of WWI to the free Belgian forces who fought alongside Americans in WWII." Trump also highlighted the 14,000 American soldiers buried in Belgian soil, saying they remind "what it takes to preserve the freedom that we joyfully celebrate."
Transatlantic Rhetoric and Local Backlash
NATO chief Mark Rutte, a Dutch national, described the US as Ronald Reagan's "shining city upon the hill, a beacon and a guide." European Parliament President Roberta Metsola praised the transatlantic relationship, saying it "has created history's best of times, and stood solid through the worst of times." She added, quoting an American saying, "'Go big, or go home', and you have certainly lived up to that," addressing Ambassador White.
However, the event stirred controversy. The Parc du Cinquantenaire was closed from Saturday evening until Monday, with identity checks by a private security firm. Local residents expressed frustration over the lack of communication and the closure of one of the city's largest public parks during a heatwave that has swept across Europe. Brussels residents sought relief in fountains as temperatures soared.
Protests took place on the opposite side of the park and in nearby streets. Greenpeace unfurled a 600-square-metre banner in the Grand Place reading: "War. Greed. Energy Crisis. What's there to celebrate?" The group condemned the event for promoting "Trump's political and corporate agenda" against a backdrop of "intensifying global instability driven by the White House." Other groups, including Extinction Rebellion, Indivisible Belgium, and Rise for Climate, denounced the privatisation of the public park. Christopher Hunter from Indivisible Belgium Collective called the event a "grift," alleging that the Freedom 250 corporation, set up by Trump and JD Vance, was designed to "bring in corporate money both from the US and Belgium and other European companies."
Ambassador White, when asked about the protests, said he was unaware of their specific motivations, according to Belgian media. He revealed that he had raised more than $5 million (€4.3 million) from over 220 donors, including American multinationals like Meta, Microsoft, Nike, and McDonald's, as well as Belgian companies such as Leonidas, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Sabena, Van Moer Logistics, and Sibelco. The event's private funding and corporate sponsorship have drawn criticism, with activists arguing it turned a public celebration into a money-making opportunity.
