As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, the larger question is: can a nation so divided at home continue to project leadership abroad

America turned 250 this weekend, and the birthday came wrapped in fireworks, heat warnings, and a president who could not resist turning it into his own campaign. That combination — genuine national milestone, genuine logistical chaos, and unmistakable self-promotion — tells you almost everything about where the country stands as it enters its next quarter-millennium. The official festivities were real enough.

Crowds gathered on the National Mall after it reopened despite a punishing heatwave. But the anniversary’s defining image came a day earlier at Mount Rushmore, where........

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