On the 250th anniversary of America's independence – July 4, 2026 – our country may well be led by a man who is the antithesis of real patriotism: Donald J. Trump.

The front-runner for the November election, according to the majority of polls, wraps himself in the flag literally and figuratively and is prone to rhetorical bursts like "Make America Great Again." He is a fan of liberty – when it benefits him.

I love Independence Day, which I’ve spent reporting on politicians in small town parades and picnics, taking my kids to watch fireworks from the top of the Federal Reserve building and ending the day with PBS' inspiring musical tribute, "A Capitol Fourth.”

The holiday is about love of our country and those in it, about celebrating the virtues embodied at Philadelphia in 1776. Every one of us should read the Declaration of Independence today to remind ourselves of those values. (Historical fact: The declaration actually was approved on July 2, but printed two days later.)

But I'd be surprised if Trump ever read, much less identified with, its stirring words. He may be the only president who is a stranger to genuine patriotism, according to two experts I interviewed on the subject: John Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, long-time Republican and author of........

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