The TRUMP version of Independence Day swaps out liberty and self-government for owning the libs and self-aggrandizement.

Nothing from the promotion of this event, nor from President Trump’s rhetoric, has given us the slightest reason to believe that he intends for this celebration to honor the founding principles. I’d say that it’s probably an even-money proposition that our president has ever read the Declaration, or the Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, or . . . oh, what the hell. He appointed Gorsuch and loves big-ass American flags. Shouldn’t that be enough?

The answer, of course, is no. While it’s possible that other American presidents have been just as poorly versed in our Founding, Trump is undeniably the first President in our nation’s history who refuses to even pay lip service to the fundamental principles the Declaration was built on.

Worse than that: He has demonstrated, repeatedly, that the vision laid out by Thomas Jefferson is one he rejects outright.