The day began with coverage of Trump's storm-delayed July 4 speech, where he honored veterans, praised himself, and warned against 'communists,' while far-right groups marched in Washington. German editors framed the US 250th anniversary through a lens of chaos and extremism. By midday, attention shifted to the AfD party congress in Erfurt, where the party projected a disciplined image under Weidel, even as violent protests erupted outside. Polls showed the Union losing ground and the AfD holding steady. In the evening, a scandal broke: Trump reportedly called FIFA president Infantino to overturn a red card for US striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. Multiple outlets condemned the intervention as a betrayal of sport, dominating late headlines and overshadowing earlier domestic political stories.