The Crowning Ritual
America250 was supposed to honor the Declaration. Trump is using it to declare himself King.
The Trump administration has handed the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to the Department of Defense.
Not the National Archives. Not the NEH. Not the Library of Congress.
The Pentagon.
Meanwhile, grants for public humanities programs — like Pennsylvania’s Teen Reading Lounge, where kids talk about the opioid crisis, identity, and mental health — have been rescinded.
Libraries are losing access to databases about race and gender, and books and programs continue to be banned.
K–12 teachers are being told what version of history is “patriotic” enough to teach.
This isn’t just censorship. It’s a reframing of the American story — from one rooted in democratic struggle to one defined by raw military power.
And at the center of it? A president who wants a military parade for his birthday.
America250 isn’t a celebration anymore.
It’s a performance of obedience, a test run for a state that allows only one version of history, one voice, and one legacy.
It’s not honoring 1776. It’s inverting it.
They’re waving the flag while marching away from everything it stood for.
The Declaration promised liberty. This looks a lot like a coronation.
We’ve covered the steps mentioned extensively. See these articles for a more complete rundown of the descent into tyranny wrapped in patriotic bunting.
Notes: Articles over 45 days old now live in the archive. Please consider becoming a paid subcriber for $1/week for exclusive content, occasional early acess, and the full 400+ article archive.
We just hit 10,000 subscribers—thank you! We’re offering full access to The Coffman Chronicle for just $1 a week ($52/year) to celebrate.
Get exclusive analysis and fearless reporting you won’t find in corporate media.
Bibliography:
"Trump Wants D.C. Military Parade in June." Axios, April 7, 2025.
"Donald Trump Is Planning Lavish Military Parade on His 79th Birthday as Economists Warn of Recession: Reports." People, April 8, 2025.
"Trump Planning Huge $100million US Military Parade on His BIRTHDAY That Will Snake Through Washington DC." The Sun, April 7, 2025.
"Executive Order on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday." The White House, January 29, 2025.
"DOGE Cuts Pennsylvania Humanities Nonprofit's Funding." Axios, April 11,
"Hundreds of Museum and Library Grants Terminated Overnight." Hyperallergic, April 10, 2025.
"Trump Cuts Funding for Library Support Program Called IMLS." Associated Press, March 17, 2025.
George Orwell had it right when he wrote, "Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past" in 1984. Big Brother is he and won't go down without a fight.
We are going to need the "Spirit of '76" before it's all over.