New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a speech on July 3, 2026, at City Hall to mark the United States' 250th birthday, highlighting the contributions of immigrants to the city's history. Speaking from a desk historically associated with George Washington, Mamdani was surrounded by naturalized citizens and listed various immigrant groups, including Irish, Chinese, Jewish, Italian and Syrian arrivals. The address contrasted with former President Donald Trump's planned remarks at Mount Rushmore later that day. The speech occurred after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the principle of birthright citizenship, rejecting a challenge by Trump. Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and became a U.S. citizen in 2018, emphasized that immigrants helped build New York City and urged resistance to policies that promote exclusion. He described patriotism as the right to dissent and to protest. The address followed local election results in which candidates endorsed by Mamdani won races in New York City and performed strongly in other liberal urban areas.