Trump takes aim at ‘communists’ in Independence Day speech, touts US military strength

US President Donald Trump used his Independence Day speech late Saturday to praise US military power and national strength while taking aim at "communists," warning against what he described as ideological threats at home.

Speaking during the Salute to America celebration marking the 250th anniversary of US independence, Trump described the US as "the home of freedom" and "the land of liberty."

"This is a flag that's the banner of the most extraordinary, most exceptional, most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the earth," he said.

Trump repeatedly framed communism as incompatible with American values.

"All these talks from the communists, they haven't got a chance," he said.

"We don't want communists in our country. Never worked, and it never will work," adding that the communist system stood in direct opposition to American freedoms and constitutional rights.

Calling communism "like a cancer," Trump said: "You got to cut it out fast."

"Americans must never forget that we are a historic and heroic people with a heroic spirit and a heroic purpose on this beautiful earth of ours," Trump said.

"Unlike so many others in the world, in this country we have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equal justice under the law ... and the right to keep and bear arms."

Trump also highlighted his record on gun rights, saying he strongly defended the Second Amendment during his time in office.

"For almost six years that I was president, I guarded very, very powerfully your Second Amendment," he said. "They didn't do a thing to it."

Trump did not name any specific political figure as a "communist," but his remarks appeared to refer to several social Democrats who won Democratic primaries ahead of November's midterm elections.