A Fading Star: Trump's July 4 Spectacle and America's Loss of Global Standing Donald Trump's Independence Day address was a nostalgic exercise in replaying past glories, reminiscent of the aging silent film star Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard.
The eerie parallel between the two is one of a fading light struggling to cling to its former splendor.
The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence offered an opportunity for reflection on America's values and ideals.