Remarks by the President at 4th of July Celebration

South Lawn

8:56 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Everybody having a good time?  (Applause.)  Give it up for Bruno Mars!  (Applause.)  And the band!  (Applause.)

Michelle and I just want to say to everybody here, we love you.  (Applause.)  On this day, we thank everyone who does so much each and every day to defend our country, to defend our freedom.  (Applause.)  We are grateful to our armed services.  (Applause.)  We are grateful to our military families.  (Applause.)  We are grateful to our veterans.  (Applause.)  

Without you, we could not enjoy the incredible blessings that we do in this greatest country on Earth.  (Applause.)  And we are so appreciative to all of you.  We hope you are having a good time.  The weather is cooperating.  (Applause.)  And Michelle and I, Malia, Sasha -- we could not be more privileged to have gotten to know so many of you, and to know all the sacrifices that you make on our behalf each and every day.

So we just want to wish you the happiest 4th of July and remind ourselves that freedom is not free -- it’s paid by all the folks who are here today and all the folks who are around the world.  We want to thank those who aren’t with their families on this holiday season because they’re posted overseas.  (Applause.)  We want to especially remember them.  (Applause.)

Thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
8:58 P.M. EDT