Biden, Trump deliver contrasting Fourth of July messages

• Questions continue to swirl about the president's fitness for office and whether he should be replaced as the Democratic party's nominee in the face off against Trump, the first-ever former U.S. president to be a convicted felon.

State of play: In a post on X marking the holiday, Biden thanked service members for their work.

• "Their service reminds us that democracy is never guaranteed — every generation must fight to maintain it," he added.
• Biden also plans to deliver remarks celebrating the holiday at a White House event Thursday evening.

Zoom in: Trump made his Fourth of July post on Truth Social a chance to take digs at Biden.

• "Happy Fourth of July to all, including to our highly incapable 'President' ... who choked like a dog during the Debate," Trump wrote.
• Trump also disparaged Vice President Kamala Harris while acknowledging her as "our potentially new Democrat Challenger."

• "The Corrupt Prosecutors are working hard for Crooked Joe but it will never be enough — Make America Great Again!" Trump concluded.

The big picture: The 2024 election turmoil has also coincided with controversial rulings from the Supreme Court that dramatically weakened federal agency rulemaking and determined that presidents have immunity for "official acts."

• A recent poll found that the portion of U.S. adults who say they're extremely or very proud to be an American hovers near a record low.

Go deeper:

• Pressure builds on Capitol Hill for Biden to "step aside"
• Behind the Curtain: Kamala Harris' epic edge