WATCH LIVE: Mamdani speaks on New York’s role in America’s founding ahead of Fourth of July

Americans hit the road in record numbers for 4th of July — in spite of high gas prices

National average for regular gasoline has fallen from a June peak above $4.56 a gallon as crude oil prices eased following the end of Iran conflict.

READ IN FULL: Zohran Mamdani’s America 250 address from George Washington’s desk at New York City Hall

Good morning, my fellow Americans. Season after season, year after year, the tides have come in and out of New York Harbor long before the name New York had ever been spoken; Lenape dugouts crossed these currents. It was on these waters, tall masts crested the horizon, captained by explorers like Verrazzano and Hudson, after […]

Mayor Mamdani Orders NYC to Sweat at 78 Degrees — While His Own City Hall Was HOW Cold?

Live updates: Trump to headline Mount Rushmore’s celebrations; heat forces changes to National Mall event plans

People across the country are preparing to celebrate America’s 250th birthday this weekend — a process that has been made more challenging as event organizers scramble to deal with the extreme heat. President Trump is headed to South Dakota late on Friday, where he’s expected to make remarks at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial and…

Morning Minute: The Founding Critters

The Rival Organizations Fighting to Shape America's 250th Birthday

Over the past decade, the US government launched two efforts to plan events tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary. On today’s Big Take podcast, the funding battles and cronyism allegations behind America250 and Freedom 250.

Heat Wave Forces Washington, DC to Alter July 4 Festivities

Record-breaking heat is having an impact on one of the biggest celebrations for the United States’ 250th birthday, with organizers of the Freedom 250 Salute to America are delaying the event’s start time from 1pm to 5pm because of the expect triple-digit heat in Washington. It comes as President Donald Trump prepares to visit Mount Rushmore ahead of July 4 celebrations. NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY.

"Empire of AI": Karen Hao on How AI Is Threatening Democracy & Creating a New Colonial World

In our July Fourth special broadcast, we revisit our interview with longtime technology reporter Karen Hao, author of Empire of AI, which unveils the accruing political and economic power of artificial intelligence companies — especially Sam Altman’s OpenAI. Her reporting uncovered the exploitation of workers in Kenya, attempts to take massive amounts of freshwater from communities in Chile, along with numerous accounts of the technology’s detrimental impact on the environment. “This is an extraordinary type of AI development that is causing a lot of social, labor and environmental harms,” says Hao in an extended interview.