Obama and Bush join effort to mark America’s 250th anniversary in a time of political polarization

Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush will join an effort to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, highlighting the initiative’s attempts to build bipartisan momentum in an era of extreme political polarization.

The former presidents and first ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush will serve as honorary national co-chairs of America250, the organization created by Congress in 2016 to oversee the celebration of the the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The commission’s leaders hope bringing together the two recent Democratic and Republican presidents will serve as an example of bipartisan cooperation in a country where political agreements seem rare and concerns are heightened over the potential for violence, especially heading toward a divisive presidential election.

Rosie Rios, a former U.S. treasurer who heads America250, emphasized that the commission organizing the celebration “has representation across all aisles.”

“This is a grassroots effort that all Americans feel like they can be a part of from Guam to Alaska, Fairbanks to Philadelphia, and everything in between,” Rios said. “This is about celebrating and commemorating that we’re the oldest democracy in the world.”

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