Former President Donald Trump commenced the America 250 celebrations with a trip to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday night. He traveled with his son Don Jr. and Don Jr.'s new wife, Bettina, along with his daughter Tiffany and her husband, Michael Boulos.
The group departed from Joint Base Andrews on the new Air Force One, heading for the monument. Upon arrival, Trump's presence was marked by a flyover of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. This visit occurs six years after a similar, controversial event held at the monument in July 2020, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid wildfire concerns that had previously led to a ban on fireworks displays at the site.
This year's event is part of the America 250 festivities, organized by Freedom 250, a group established by Trump to oversee the semiquincentennial celebrations. The official, bipartisan America250 commission was created by Congress in 2016. The existence of these two groups has led to some organizational friction, including the cancellation of musicians booked for the Great American State Fair, which was organized by the more partisan Freedom 250 entity.
The Great American State Fair itself has faced challenges, including power outages, low attendance, and extreme heat. Washington, D.C., experienced temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, causing a postponement of fair events. The Mount Rushmore event is also taking place under drought conditions in South Dakota.
While the fireworks ban at Mount Rushmore had been reinstated during President Joe Biden's administration, it has since been lifted. Preparations for the fireworks display involved a fire response plan from the US Wildland Fire Service and a go-or-no-go decision from state and federal agencies due to the current drought conditions.
Adding to the event's narrative, there is a bill in Congress proposed by Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna to add Trump's face to Mount Rushmore, which currently features Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt.
Prior to the Mount Rushmore event, Trump and his companions visited the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. Bettina and Tiffany also took a moment for a mirror selfie at the Presidential Walk of Fame along the West Colonnade of the White House. Bettina later shared an image on Instagram of a cookie featuring Mount Rushmore with Trump's likeness superimposed onto it.
Trump is scheduled to return to Washington for the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall on Saturday. This event is also anticipated to face extreme heat, with temperatures projected to reach 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Trump has indicated his intention to proceed with a lengthy speech despite the high temperatures, stating he would deliver a long address to demonstrate resilience. The fireworks display for the National Mall event is planned for 10:30 p.m. ET, with the potential for the show to extend into July 5th if the preceding speech runs long.