{"id":724562,"date":"2026-06-25T05:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T05:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/724562\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T05:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T05:48:09","slug":"remarks-the-anchors-of-freedom-and-fellowship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/724562\/","title":{"rendered":"REMARKS: The Anchors of Freedom and Fellowship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good evening, it is fabulous to welcome you all to the American Embassy in Canberra to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America. It is an incredible honor to be joined by Prime Minister Albanese, together with Deputy Prime Minister Marles, Foreign Minister Wong, and so many other ministers, members of parliament, colleagues, fellow Americans and our incredible Australian hosts. And what a party it is, befitting of 250 years of America!<\/p>\n

But tonight, we are not simply marking a milestone of American history. We are celebrating a profound convergence. As the United States looks back on 250 years of an enduring democratic experiment, we also look across the Pacific to celebrate 75 years of the ANZUS Treaty\u2014the unbreakable cornerstone of our security, our peace, and our shared democratic purpose.<\/p>\n

And on a deeply personal note, tonight also marks the culmination of my own journey here, as I prepare to conclude my three-year tenure to this magnificent country.<\/p>\n

Two and a half centuries ago, a radical idea was put into writing: that thirteen diverse colonies could govern themselves, bound not by a single crown or shared bloodlines, but by a revolutionary creed\u2014that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As President Trump captured in his celebration of this momentous birthday, \u201cWith a single sheet of parchment and 56 signatures, America began the greatest political journey in human history.\u201d There was no blueprint, no guide and surely no ChatGPT to ask for suggestions! There was belief in the core principle of \u201cby the people, for the people, of the people\u201d. And thus began the great democratic experiment and the American story.<\/p>\n

As we reflect on 250 years, we do so with humility. As President Lincoln famously reminded us, America has never been a finished product. It is a continuous, multi-generational labor to perfect that union. Our history is a story of triumphs won through struggle\u2014from the birth of our republic to the hearty souls like my ancestors who embraced the unknown to take the wagon trail across towards the Pacific, to the pioneers who pushed the frontiers of science, space, and human potential.<\/p>\n

\"ChargeCharge D\u2019Affaires Erika Olson gives remarks at the U.S. Embassy\u2019s Independence Day event.<\/p>\n

It is an unlikely story of optimism. And it is a story that resonates deeply here in Australia, a nation that similarly built its vibrant, modern society on the values of democracy, hard work, and individual freedom.<\/p>\n

That shared character is why, 75 years ago in San Francisco, our nations put our names to the ANZUS Treaty. But as any Australian or American will tell you, the alliance didn\u2019t begin with ink on parchment. It was forged decades earlier in the mud of the Western Front at the Battle of Hamel\u2014where American soldiers fought under Australian command on the Fourth of July, 1918. In the battles of the Pacific \u2013 Coral Sea, Guadalcanal \u2013 and in the hearts of American marines and sailors who received respite in Australia and still celebrate that friendship every time the First Marine Expeditionary Force plays their official march \u2013 Waltzing Matilda.<\/p>\n

For three-quarters of a century, our alliance has been much more than a mutual defense pact. It has been a promise that neither nation will ever stand alone. It was invoked in our darkest hour after September 11, a testament to an enduring solidarity that our adversaries must never underestimate.<\/p>\n

Ronald Reagan once spoke of America as a \u201cshining city on a hill\u201d\u2014a beacon of freedom to the world. But in the 21st century, that city does not stand isolated. Its safety, its prosperity, and its brightness are secured because of the trusted allies who stand watch with us. Australia is that trusted partner, a steadfast ally, and a truly close friend.<\/p>\n

Today, our 75-year-old alliance is not a relic of the Cold War; it is the vital engine of our future. Over the last three years, I have had the immense privilege of sitting at the tables where this future is being built.<\/p>\n

We have made historic strides through the AUKUS partnership, integrated our defense industries, and locked in shared breakthroughs in critical minerals, quantum computing, and other cutting-edge technologies. We are ensuring that the next 75 years are as secure and prosperous as the last.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Good evening, it is fabulous to welcome you all to the American Embassy in Canberra to celebrate the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":724563,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[23,3,21,19,22,20,25,24],"class_list":["post-724562","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-america","tag-news","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/724562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=724562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/724562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/724563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=724562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=724562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=724562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}