Starting with America’s centennial in 1876, every 50-year milestone has had financial drama over who pays for the party — a pattern that continues this year.
Two organizations with very similar names are organizing this year’s 250th celebration: America250, created by Congress a decade ago, and Freedom 250, launched by President Trump in January 2025.
Both organizations are hosting major events for America’s 250th celebration of the nation’s founding. But confusion and funding controversy erupted between the two groups earlier in the month, when music acts began pulling out of the Trump-related Great American State Fair on the National Mall.
Mr. Trump signed an executive order creating Freedom 250, a public-private partnership that is organizing events such as the fair, the July Fourth fireworks extravaganza and the Patriot Games National Competition.
The organization, which depends mainly on outside donations, was also involved with planning the White House UFC fight and the upcoming IndyCar race in the nation’s capital.
Congress created the America250 U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to coordinate the nation’s official 250th-anniversary activities. America250 is a nonprofit organization that supports the commission of non-partisan leaders and a board of 30 bipartisan lawmakers.
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The commission received federal funding and spent almost a decade planning tributes and celebrations for a nationwide commemoration. Among its events is a marquee celebration in Los Angeles hosted by Queen Latifah.
The most recent congressional funding for the 250th anniversary celebration came from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in July 2025, which appropriated $150 million.
Months later, Freedom250 was launched under the National Park Foundation.
Although the law said the $150 million was to be distributed by the Interior Department, it did not specify whether it would go toward America250, and Freedom250 had not been announced when the law was implemented.
Funding has become a central dispute, with Freedom250 receiving tax dollars and America250 saying it needs more money.
At a congressional hearing earlier this month, Sen. Alex Padilla, California Democrat and one of the America250 commissioners, accused Mr. Trump of trying to undermine America250’s plans by creating a competing group.
“President Trump couldn’t help but try making America’s 250th birthday all about himself,” Mr. Padilla said.
Although the Interior Department has given at least $68 million to the National Park Foundation and earmarked it for semiquincentennial events, America250 has reported a $100 million funding shortfall, NOTUS reported.
Financial disputes over how to celebrate America’s independence at each 50-year milestone are nothing new.
The 1876 centennial ended with the Supreme Court forcing repayment of federal funds and, 50 years later, the 1926 sesquicentennial went into receivership with a $20 million loss.
By 1976, America’s bicentennial was financially crippled four years before the celebration even happened, with accusations that the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission in 1972 was being used to push President Richard Nixon’s reelection and benefit his political allies.
It was ultimately investigated by the House Judiciary Committee and the General Accounting Office and later dissolved and replaced by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration.
Only the first 50-year milestone in America went off without any consternation over federal funding for the celebration.
The 1826 50-year “jubilee” celebrations of the country received no federal funding.
During the jubilee celebrations, Congress was between sessions, so no legislation to fund the anniversary was ever enacted.
However, jubilee celebrations, funded locally, were typically hosted in towns around the country, each with its own way of celebrating the milestone. Local celebrations usually involved religious services, public speeches and parades.
In the District of Columbia, a commission was created to commemorate the Declaration’s 50th anniversary, spearheaded by Gen. Roger Chew Weightman, the city’s mayor.
The commission organized the capital’s events, but there was no national budget or congressional appropriation behind it.
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