We went to Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair for the U.S.’s 250th anniversary. But the 16-day celebration is proving to be less than successful.
Watch @prem_thakker explore the disastrous fair.
"Loitering is not permitted in this area," an audio recording sternly warns, as uniformed National Guard troops patrol Washington's iconic, algae-plagued reflecting pool. "Please proceed to a designated location."
Journalist Amanda Moore's dystopian video, shot last weekend just steps from the Lincoln Memorial, instantly went viral—a perfect 8-second encapsulation of American democracy under Donald Trump. Amanda has spent the past 18 months documenting the chaos and brutality of the administration's militarized takeovers and immigration raids in cities across the country. Her footage has been shocking, often horrifying. But it's never before been quite so absurd. (Well, maybe once.)
In her latest video report for Mother Jones, Amanda takes us on a tour of the Trumpified National Mall as the nation attempts to celebrate its 250th birthday. Not far from the reflecting pool's nanobubblers and security theater, there's a very different scene: Trump's Great America State Fair. When Amanda visited this marquee anniversary event, she found a dearth of visitors, a shortage of napkins, and a decaying model of the triumphal arch the president wants to build across the Potomac.
The symbolism here is about as subtle as a Jon McNaughton painting. If I hadn't seen Amanda's reporting, I never would have believed it was real.
Variations on a Cosmic Tour | Aventurine • Waveflair
"Friends, we meet again! I just wrapped up a sponsored shoot, and wow, keeping a smile plastered to my face for the camera is no easy feat. But now that I've been promoted to P46, I can finally go on vacation. Want to relax and enjoy your time with me? I guarantee you'll have an unforgettable getaway."
The grand festival illuminates the coast, while a storm brews amidst euphoria.
Secret orders in hand, he steps back into the eye of the storm to shake up this long holiday—
When treacherous waves subsume his figure, how will he emerge as the game changer?