Video: watson/nina bürge
Jul 4, 2026, 7:12 amJul 4, 2026, 10:34 am
On the occasion of the USA’s 250th birthday, US President Donald Trump warned his compatriots against communist ideas. “You can be a communist or a patriot,” the Republican said to supporters in the US state of South Dakota. Trump has been using the term communism more frequently for some time now to attack left-wing domestic political opponents and their positions.
Donald Trump poses at Mount Rushmore after his speech.Image: keystone
At the same time, in his speech against the backdrop of the famous Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day, Trump painted the picture of the USA as a nation that relies on God. Trump said: “Our rights” were given by God “who created us.”
The 80-year-old also emphasized: “No other country has brought more good to this world than the United States of America.” He emphasized that English is spoken in the United States because it is the language of the Founding Fathers. Trump didn’t mention that a lot of people in the US also speak Spanish.
Video: watson/nina bürge
Mount Rushmore is world-famous for the Presidential Monument: the heads of George Washington (1st President), Thomas Jefferson (3rd President), Theodore Roosevelt (26th President) and Abraham Lincoln (16th President) are carved into the rock.
Mount Rushmore – one of the most famous backdrops in the USA.Image: keystone
It wasn’t the first time Trump used the backdrop of Mount Rushmore National Monument. Six years ago, he came directly on Independence Day and gave a speech against participants in a nationwide protest movement against racism.
Scorching heat affects celebrations
Today’s Saturday is the highlight of the celebrations. Late in the evening there will be a huge fireworks display in Washington that will be set off from several locations. Already on Friday, fighter jets flew over the heads of Washington residents with a loud noise, and today there will be many flights again.
What’s probably affecting many people’s celebratory mood is that the US capital has been groaning under scorching heat of around 40 degrees for days. Trump doesn’t stop that – on the contrary: he wants to “give a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,” he announced this week. His appearance is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. Eastern Time (Sunday, 3:45 a.m. CEST). A large parade in the city that morning has already been canceled due to the extreme heat.
Trump is currently under massive pressure domestically. Many people in the country are particularly offended by the Iran war. His approval ratings have been low for a long time. Many Americans are war-weary as the U.S. government invokes the warrior ethos. In recent days, the president has made increasing appearances around the 250th birthday celebrations and also used his speeches to highlight what he sees as the successes of his second term in office. (dab/sda/dpa)