Fireworks On The 4th Of July - Updated

HOLD THE DATE! We will be having one of the biggest gatherings in the history of Washington, D.C., on July 4th. It will be called “A Salute To America” and will be held at the Lincoln Memorial. Major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2019

Pete Souza weighed in on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

Comrade minus tweeted out this morning: “HOLD THE DATE! We will be having one of the biggest gatherings in the history of Washington, D.C., on July 4th....Major fireworks display...” Who do you think will draw the short straw to have to tell him?

A post shared by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Feb 24, 2019 at 6:39am PST

... and the Twitter snark started right away: 

Wow, gathering people on the National Mall on July 4th. I’ll try to remember that. https://t.co/c5bqBBjtvC

— Seth Masket (@smotus) February 24, 2019

HOLD THE DATE! We will be having one of the biggest candy giveaways in history on October 31st. It will be called “Halloween” and will be held in every neighborhood. Major pumpkin displays.

— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) February 24, 2019

HOLD THE DATE! We will be having one of the biggest religious celebrations in the history of Christianity on Dec. 25th. It will be called “Christmas” and everybody will gets gifts! Thanks to your favorite president, me! https://t.co/iHlYAnRzOh

— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) February 24, 2019

wait that’s the Fourth of July https://t.co/9ZOxlKWNcE

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) February 24, 2019

Did your staff not tell you there are fireworks and a concert on the Mall and a massive gathering *every* Fourth of July? https://t.co/5CwTUtCsIw

— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) February 24, 2019

Perhaps as a follow-up act, you could — hear me out here — invent another new holiday to give thanks for everything we have. We could call it something like “A Salute to Thanks!” and it would be, I don’t know, perhaps the 4th Thursday of November? https://t.co/4INQ6qlcbQ

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) February 24, 2019

If this goes well, I think we should follow it with a big party in Times Square the night before New Year’s Day. https://t.co/PiiNrcpIml

— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 24, 2019

There were some serious reactions too. Apparently President Nixon tried something similar and it didn't go well:

As I noted in my book One Nation Under God, when Nixon was under fire in early 1970, he and his supporters planned a Fourth of July rally at the Lincoln Memorial which they called "Honor America Day."

Billy Graham and Bob Hope unveiled the plans this way: pic.twitter.com/lJuohBbJFY

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) February 12, 2019

This is right.  His move is ridiculous...but it is also a political move right out of the authoritarian playbook.  It is absurd...but also dangerous, and if he politicizes whatever idiocy he does that day, he should pay for it out of campaign funds. https://t.co/ChBIeb1Y1N

— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) February 24, 2019

A lawmaker DM-ed me this after Trump announced (whatever he thinks he announced about the 4th of July) pic.twitter.com/UwP1ZhvIbU

— Matt Laslo (@MattLaslo) February 24, 2019

Updated on Sunday night. Must add this:

.@realDonaldTrump Thank you & Melania for the invitation to your 7/04/2019 gathering.

As it conflicts with America’s annual “Fourth of July” festivities celebrating our independence from tyranny, it is with regret I must decline.

Our Founders sent a SAVE THE DATE 243 years ago. https://t.co/0XfjD9Bhbw

— Philippe Reines (@PhilippeReines) February 24, 2019