3 min readJul 4, 2026 06:55 AM IST First published on: Jul 4, 2026 at 06:55 AM ISTBirthdays, for people and nations, are an occasion for celebration, for pageantry that would appear gauche on most other days. Add to that a chief executive who has doubled down on jingoistic nationalism and the triumphalism surrounding the United States of America’s 250th Independence Day is understandable. Even so, the Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House lawns last month that carried the unsubtle symbolism of a Roman emperor presiding over a gladiatorial contest was a bit much. A major anniversary, however, is also an occasion for major reflection. While much about America remains exceptional, in a changing world the self-conception of its exceptionalism might require revision.The philosophical and political underpinnings of US success, and the American model, can be found in the Declaration of Independence and the country’s constitution. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” foregrounds the individual, and the optimism of what was seen by colonial settlers as a “new world”. It encompasses both the American dream and its hypocrisies and exploitations — vis-à-vis indigenous populations, Black people, and migrants. The idea of natural rights, of inalienable freedoms, found its greatest expression in the US. The historic move away from constraining feudalism and an embrace of earned wealth and success laid the foundations for its knowledge economy, innovation, military power and even Hollywood. The latter, through cinema, TV and now OTT, continues to determine the cultural vocabulary of a significant chunk of the world population. US oligarchs control the latest industries and innovation. And yet, all is not well with the world’s oldest democracy.AdvertisementDonald Trump is seen by his many critics as undermining the foundations on which the American story was built — from its universities and free trade, to its openness and institutions. The question is whether he is the architect of this erosion or its symptom. Since the fall of communism in Europe and the end of the Cold War, the US has seen itself as the lone superpower —not just in terms of its economy or military, but also in terms of values. The “end of history”, though, turned out to be short-lived. China, authoritarianism intact, has emerged as the world’s factory and a competitor, in no small part thanks to US businesses and policies. Middle powers like India, Brazil, Australia are making their mark, on their own terms. At 250, America is no longer an only child. That can’t be wished away by nostalgia or celebration.