Pride Plummeting

Hi Global Recap readers,

Happy 4th of July to all our American readers!

Since we also have plenty of non-US readers, I think today’s a great time to take a quick look at the history behind Independence Day, and dive into the growing divide between the two major parties when it comes to what it means to be American.

(I promise it’s more interesting, and less dry, than it sounds 😬)

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇺🇸 Trump Signs Massive Bill. With stealth bombers overhead and MAGA hats dotting the crowd, Trump used the July 4 Independence Day celebration to sign the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” locking in permanent tax cuts, ramped-up border spending, and deep cuts to social programs.

• Critics warn it could strip health coverage from millions and push the national debt past $39 trillion.

• Trump, meanwhile, called it “the biggest tax cut, the biggest spending cut,” which will fuel growth and eliminate wasteful spending.

🇰🇵 North Korean Crosses DMZ. A lone North Korean man crossed into South Korea late Thursday, slipping through the heavily mined Demilitarized Zone before being taken into custody by South Korean troops.

• The military tracked him near the central-west section of the border and safely escorted him out.

• He was unarmed, and officials haven’t confirmed if it was a defection.

• No signs of unusual activity from the North yet, but the US-led UN Command’s been notified.

🇷🇺 Russia Deploys Banned Gas. Dutch and German intel say Russia is using outlawed chemicals like chloropicrin and CS gas across Ukraine, calling it “standardized and commonplace.”

• They say drones drop poison into trenches to flush soldiers out, then shoot them (basically the same WWI tactics, but with 2025 tech).

• Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans wants tougher sanctions, warning it “lowers the threshold” for global chemical warfare.

• Russia denies it, but Ukraine counts 9,000 such attacks since 2022.

🇵🇸 Hamas Signals Ceasefire Talks. Hamas just gave a “positive” response to Trump’s US-backed ceasefire plan, opening the door to talks that could pause the war between Israel and Hamas.

• But it also wants “minor and formative” tweaks, and it’s unclear if Israel is open to that.

• Trump says Israel already agreed to a 60-day halt and warned Hamas the deal “will not get better.”

• Netanyahu’s heading to Washington on Monday.

🇫🇷 French Mural Shames US. Just before July 4, a giant mural popped up in Roubaix, France, showing the Statue of Liberty burying her face in her hands.

• Dutch artist Judith de Leeuw painted it in six days as a “silent protest” against Donald Trump’s immigration policies, saying Liberty’s original promise of “freedom, hope, the right to be yourself” has vanished for many migrants.

• Roubaix has a large immigrant community, and Leeuw said the timing was a “meaningful coincidence.”

UNITED STATES
July 4

Brief Context

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, officially cutting ties with Britain and giving rise to the United States.

• It wasn’t fully signed that day, but the vote was the moment the colonies made their break loud and clear.

• Fun fact: Founding Father John Adams predicted the day would be “celebrated…with pomp and parade.” Safe to say he nailed it.

Differences

While generalizing isn’t ideal, it’s hard to ignore the sharp contrast in how people on opposite sides of the political aisle celebrate, and how proud they are to be American.

• Remember: the stuff we see on social media is often the most over-the-top—meaning, this kind of extreme behavior obviously isn't typical.

  • You don’t see every Democrat out there casually there torching flags or every Republican blaring the Star Spangled Banner on repeat.

  • However, it still highlights a real split in values and vibes between the extremes.

Nonetheless, here are some datapoints to consider. 👇️ 

📊 Poll

First, a Gallup poll shows a clear shift in how proud people feel to be American.

• What’s interesting is that even back in 2015, when Obama was president, Republicans were just as proud to be American as they are today.

• Democrats, on the other hand, have been trending downward. It’s not just a sharp drop tied to Trump. That decline’s been building for years.

🔥 Flag Burning

But it's not just the numbers. Every year, plenty of videos surface, showing protesters on July 4 calling out the US for being founded by colonizers and perpetrators of genocide.

Here’s a 2025 edition of people burning the American flag.

On the other hand, here’s a video of a Korean immigrant celebrating July 4, thanking the US for giving him the chance to succeed through his own hard work.

Thoughts

Although seeing your country’s flag burned by its own people can feel deeply painful and infuriating, it’s crucial to understand where those protesters are coming from.

• They believe the colonizers didn’t just arrive—they stole land, culture, and lives of the natives. They see the flag as a symbol of that history, not just patriotism.

• As seen in last year’s pro-Palestine protests on July 4, many view US support for Israel, along with its history of regime changes and proxy wars abroad, as part of that same pattern of power and domination.

• But here’s the question: does burning the American flag actually make a meaningful impact or bring about real change?

Personally, I know plenty of left-leaning friends who wince just hearing about these stories. So these videos are, once again, extreme cases.

• But it's not just too little pride (or hate of one's country) that's destructive. Over-the-top patriotism can morph into an exclusionary mindset that fuels real racism and discrimination. But of course, this isn’t “patriotism” anymore.

• Essentially, everything in moderation. Even too much of a good thing can become poison.

🤔 What do you think?