President Donald Trump held a campaign-style rally on the National Mall on the 250th anniversary of American independence. The event occurred as his second term began in January 2025 and as a bipartisan commission prepared to coordinate anniversary celebrations. Since taking office, Trump has nominated personal lawyer D. John Sauer to serve as attorney general, ordered the Department of Justice to pursue political opponents, deployed U.S. Marines to Miami, Florida, and used the presidency to promote cryptocurrency ventures that generated an estimated $1.07 billion in revenue. He has demanded that comedians who criticize him be fired, placed his name on the Kennedy Center, pushed legislation to influence election administration, and filed lawsuits against news organizations and the federal government for $10 billion in taxpayer money. The Justice Department’s involvement in a lawsuit against the IRS led to a settlement that created a $1.776 billion fund before Congress withdrew support, though a ban on IRS audits of his tax returns remains in place. Trump’s legal battles have included a Supreme Court ruling that grants presidents broad immunity from prosecution, which halted multiple investigations into his 2020 election activities. In a 2024 immunity case, his lawyer answered a judge’s question about whether a president could order an assassination with a “qualified yes,” a response that has drawn scrutiny. Scholars have noted the contrast between Trump’s self‑description and historical concerns about centralized power. Historian Julian Zelizer of Princeton University said the monarch label reflects Trump’s view of the presidency and the risk of unchecked authority. The White House has defended Trump’s actions as lawful exercises of executive power, citing his statements that he has the right to act as he wishes and that only his own morality can limit him. Financial conflicts have also emerged. Trump, the wealthiest president, promoted cryptocurrencies that raised $320 million, $550 million, and attracted a $2 billion foreign investment. He filed a private $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over leaked tax returns, leading to a settlement that was later rescinded amid bipartisan criticism. Opposition figures have criticized the use of public resources for personal or political gain. California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote that the White House was used to promote a company the president owns stock in, sell subscriptions, and enrich the president’s family, echoing founders’ warnings about kings enriching themselves from public office. Newsom also disclosed that the Department of Justice was investigating him and his wife. Activists have adopted the slogan “No Kings” in anticipation of the 2026 America 250 celebration, viewing Trump’s actions as a continuation of the tyranny the nation fought to end 250 years ago.