Mount Rushmore, South Dakota – Addressing a crowd at Mount Rushmore on Friday, the eve of America's 250th anniversary, former President Donald Trump declared that communism represents a "mortal threat" to the nation.
"As we approach this magnificent anniversary, we see our American identity under a renewed attack," Trump stated. "A generation after we fought and won the Cold War against the menace of communism, there is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success."
Trump characterized the ideology as fundamentally opposed to American values, asserting that it is "the exact opposite of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and instead represents "death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil."
"These are not mere political disagreements, like differences over taxes or regulations," he emphasized. "Communism is a mortal threat to American liberty. It is the greatest threat to our country."
The former president drew a stark dichotomy, stating, "You can be loyal to Karl Marx, or you can be loyal to America. You can be a communist, or you can be a patriot. You cannot be both."
Trump vowed that the United States would never succumb to communism. The speech occurred as the nation prepared to mark its 250th birthday.