President Donald Trump delivered a 30-minute speech at Mount Rushmore on July 3, 2026, ahead of the nation's 250th Independence Day anniversary. He praised the United States as “the most successful and greatest nation in human history” and said, “It is my honor to be your president” [1, 2, 3]. Trump warned that communism is resurging in America and poses a deadly threat to its freedom, including ideologies embraced by some new immigrants. He likened communism to the 9/11 terror attacks, calling it an enemy of the Constitution and the nation [3, 4, 5, 6]. He said, “We pledge to quickly defeat communism. Don’t let them waste your time” [5].

The night speech at Mount Rushmore was delayed due to severe thunderstorms and heat waves affecting much of the US [1, 7, 2]. Several Republican officials attended, including South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Senator Mike Rounds, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis [2, 8, 9, 10]. The White House publicly supports Trump’s plan to add his likeness as a fifth head on Mount Rushmore, despite concerns over structural integrity and expected congressional opposition. Press Secretary Taylor Rogers said there is ‘‘nothing more fitting’’ for the monument than Trump’s image [10].

On July 4, Trump held another large rally and speech on the National Mall in Washington, DC, accompanied by military flyovers and a grand fireworks display. The event was briefly disrupted by thunderstorms prompting an emergency evacuation [1, 7, 6].

The extreme heatwave caused widespread impacts. Around 750,000 households in the US Eastern region lost power, including 350,000 in Michigan, and several Independence Day parades and events were canceled in cities such as Washington and Philadelphia [7, 11, 12, 6]. Amtrak suspended some train services in the Northeast due to heat damage to rails [11, 12].

The 250th celebrations included concerts in major cities featuring artists like Ne-Yo, Mary J Blige, The Smashing Pumpkins, Chaka Khan, Christina Aguilera, and Will Smith. Philadelphia hosted a special soccer match (France vs. Paraguay) and flight demonstrations near the site of the Declaration of Independence signing [7].

Other events included a naturalization ceremony in Mount Vernon, Virginia welcoming 150 new US citizens from 50 countries, and the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York, won by Joey Chestnut (66 hot dogs) and Miki Sudo (38.75) [7]. A time capsule was buried to be opened in 200 years containing items such as a signed Constitution and Coca-Cola [7].

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered a pro-immigration speech emphasizing inclusion and progress, offering a contrast to Trump’s hardline stance on immigrants [11, 12]. Meanwhile, former presidents Biden and Obama both called for progress to fulfill America’s founding promises of equality [7].