politics
Trump Speaks at Mount Rushmore as Some July 4 Events Are Canceled
President Donald Trump spoke at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on July 3, calling communism the greatest threat to the United States. The address occurred as the country marks the 250th anniversary of independence amid heat-related disruptions to events.
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President Donald Trump spoke at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on Friday, July 3, 2026, and stated that communism is a mortal threat to American liberty. He described it as the greatest threat to the country, surpassing World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or 9/11. The remarks came during events marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Trump also said there is now a resurgence of the communist menace in the land and that American identity faces renewed attack. He added that the rise of Democratic socialism stems from newcomers who embrace ideas opposed to the American way of life. , the Associated Press reported.
Philadelphia canceled its Salute to Independence parade but held a drone show outside Independence Hall that formed images including Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and the 1969 moon landing. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered an address at City Hall on Friday that described America as a nation of contradictions working toward the perfection in which it was conceived.
He stated that the ideals upon which the nation was built are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime but only if reached for.
Glenn Brooks, pardoned by Trump for participation in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, attended events on the National Mall. An Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday in Washington was canceled, and the Capitol Fourth concert opened its gates later than normal but featured appearances from Patti LaBelle, Trace Adkins and members of the Artemis II space mission along with fireworks.
Adults feel proud about the country’s 250th anniversary and roughly 3 in 10 feel excited. Freedom 250, an organization aligned with the White House, organized the Great American State Fair, while America250, a bipartisan group founded by Congress a decade ago, is behind ball drops in multiple cities and a concert in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Military aircraft flew over the National Mall near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
