Rep. Ro Khanna, a congressman from California, shared a video message on X for the Fourth of July. In the post, he stated that he is extremely proud to be an American, noted that the nation’s founders would be amazed by its accomplishments on its 250th birthday, and called for a new economic patriotism. The message has generated significant attention online, with users posting numerous critical responses.
The video shows Rep. Ro Khanna seated at a desk in an office setting with an American flag behind him, speaking directly to the camera. He opens by saying, “Happy July 4th, everyone. I want to take a moment today to reflect on why I’m so proud of America and why I love this country.” He notes that while there are issues to address in the political and economic system, the day calls for acknowledging the progress made.
He describes growing up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, as the son of immigrants from India, and being inspired by American history at sites linked to George Washington. He highlights accomplishments including the abolition of slavery, women’s rights, ending Jim Crow, embracing immigrants, and the defeats of Nazism and communism.
He states his belief that providing economic security and hope, what he calls “economic patriotism”, can help heal divides and position America as a light to the world again. The footage is a continuous solo address of roughly two and a half minutes with no other individuals or additional scenes shown. The spoken content expands on the shorter post text with personal background details and specific historical references.
Backlash and Commentary Following Khanna’s Video Tribute to America
Several users directly challenged Khanna’s connection to the country and his constituents, with comments including “You don’t represent America. Hell, you don’t even represent California.”; “America is not proud of you.”; and “You’re not an American.”
Others criticized the “new economic patriotism” framing in the message, with one stating, “A new economic patriotism” = COMMUNISM.”
Several responses highlighted what commenters described as inconsistencies with personal background and circumstances, including one that said, “You are EXTREMELY proud since you make MILLIONS…have a 6 million dollar Washington DC apartment with an elevator and your kids (under 10) own three golf courses…GO *expletive* YOURSELVES!!!”
Still others invoked the founding fathers in opposition to the remarks, with examples such as “Our founding fathers would’ve dumped you and your taxes in the harbor.”
Khanna’s July 4th message has added to the broader online discussion about patriotism, economic policy, and national identity. The reactions reflect the ongoing debates that continue to shape public conversation around these themes.
