US President Trump and first lady Melania stand for the National Anthem at a picnic for military families at the White House in Washington —AP/PTI

AP Washington

US President Donald Trump signed his package of tax breaks and spending cuts into law on Friday in front of Fourth of July picnickers after his cajoling produced almost unanimous Republican support in Congress for the dom­e­stic priority that could ce­ment his second-term legacy.

Flanked by Republican legislators and members of his Cabinet, Trump signed the multitrillion-dollar legislation at a desk on the White House driveway, then banged down a gavel gifted to him by House Speaker Mike Johnson that was used during the bill’s final passage on Thursday.

Against odds that at times seemed improbable, Trump achieved his goal of celebrating a historic — and divisive — legislative victory in time for the nation’s birthday, which also was his self-imposed deadline for Congress to send the legislation to his desk. Fighter jets and stealth bombers streaked through the sky over the annual White House Fourth of July picnic. 

“America’s winning, winning, winning like never before,” Trump said, noting last month’s bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme, which he said the flyover was meant to honour. “Promises made, promis­es kept, and we’ve kept them.” The White House was hung with red, white and blue bunting for the Independence Day festivities. The US Marine Band played patriotic marches — and, in a typical Trumpian touch, tunes by 1980s pop icons Chaka Khan and Huey Lewis. There were three separate flyovers.