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America is about to celebrate a milestone: its 250th birthday.

But instead of a united celebration, the lead-up to America’s semiquincentennial has been marked by controversy, political tension, sponsorship disputes, and questions about who gets to define patriotism in 2026.

In the latest episode of Apocalypse…Now?, I explore what happens when a country tries to throw itself a birthday party during one of the most politically divided periods in modern history.

From Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia, organizers are discovering that celebrating America may be harder than expected.

Major performers have backed away from anniversary events. Political leaders have been accused of using the celebrations to promote themselves. Corporate sponsors are clashing with government officials. Even historians are questioning how the nation should approach this historic milestone.

The result is a fascinating look at how Americans have always argued about what America means.

And maybe that’s the point.

Looking back at previous national anniversaries reveals that conflict surrounding patriotic celebrations is nothing new. The Bicentennial faced criticism. Political leaders used it to advance their agendas. Protest movements challenged official narratives. Americans argued about the country’s future just as passionately then as they do now.

After diving into the chaos surrounding America’s 250th birthday, the episode shifts gears with the latest installment of my ongoing project:

250 Reasons to Love the USA.

This chapter focuses on American inventions and innovations that changed everyday life around the world.

From the internet and the airplane to air conditioning, the telephone, the microchip, nuclear power, and medical breakthroughs, these inventions demonstrate America’s long history of experimentation, innovation, and occasionally creating problems while solving others.

Because if there’s one thing America does well, it’s making things complicated.

Listen to the full episode to hear why the country’s biggest birthday party is already becoming one of its biggest debates, and why despite all the dysfunction, there are still plenty of reasons to appreciate what America has contributed to the world.

What do you think?

What is one reason you’re proud to be an American?

Leave a comment below, send me a message, or call the Apocalypse…Now? listener line at 820-474-6763 and let me know.

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