Trump says communism is ‘like a cancer’ that must be removed in America 250 address

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump condemned communism as a ‘cancer’ that must be cut out quickly during his July 4 address on the National Mall, vowing that the United States would never succumb to what he described as a growing domestic threat, while honoring Korean War veterans who fought against communist forces decades ago.

The remarks came one night after Trump delivered a similar warning at Mount Rushmore, where he told the crowd that a "communist menace" was threatening the country.

Trump contrasts American freedoms with communist ideology

In his National Mall address, he went further, framing communism as both a historical enemy and a present danger.

"Communism is a loser, and it always will be. The communist system is the opposite of the American system, and the communist system has never worked," Trump said. "We like to stop a threat like that immediately and before it begins. It's like a cancer. You got to cut it out. You got to cut it out fast."

Trump drew a sharp contrast between the freedoms guaranteed under the US Constitution and what he described as the values of communist systems.

"In this country we have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equal justice under the law," he said, adding that the Declaration of Independence's assertion that all people are made in the image of God was something "a communist will never say, that's for sure."

He also connected the current moment to America's Cold War legacy. "After we vanquished fascism, Americans stood against the evil of communism in the Cold War.”

“Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We're not going to let it happen," Trump said.

Korean War veterans honored with historic flags

One of the most memorable parts of the speech was Trump’s tribute to three Korean War veterans who were present.

He honored Marine Corporal Pat Finn and Private First Class Rudy Meekins, who both fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, one of the most savage battles of the Korean War.

Trump said Finn fought hand-to-hand with five enemy soldiers and survived, while Meekins was wounded four times but 'never stopped shooting and never stopped moving forward.

He also recognized veteran Sonny Ray, who went into battle against an enemy force 10 times the size of his unit and received the Silver Star.

The three veterans were presented with two historic flags: one of the first 50-star American flags to fly over a battlefield, and one of the last flags from Checkpoint Charlie, the famous crossing point on the Berlin Wall.

"This was a very famous place where American freedom finally brought communism crashing down to an end," Trump said.