Full Trump speech at Mount Rushmore for America 250 praises 'American achievement' and culture

[0:00] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the 45th and 47th president of the United States of America, [0:13] Donald J. Trump. [0:15] Well, thank you very much to the men and women of the South Dakota Air National Guard [1:19] and those beautiful F-35s. [1:22] We love them, and I want to thank you all for being here. [1:24] This is a big crowd. [1:25] This is a lovely crowd, and what a sight it is. [1:29] I want to thank Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a good friend of mine, and all of us. [1:35] Senator Mike Rounds, great guy. [1:38] Governor Larry Rodin, thank you, Larry. [1:41] Lieutenant Governor Van Heisen. [1:54] I was waiting for that. [1:59] They said, you start speaking, they won't interrupt you at all. [2:02] They didn't interrupt us at all. [2:05] Thank you. [2:05] They're fantastic. [2:07] What great, incredible, talented pilots. [2:10] Thank you very much. [2:11] Secretary Burgum, who's doing a phenomenal job. [2:15] Governor Ron DeSantis. [2:17] Thank you, Governor DeSantis. [2:18] Where's Ron? [2:19] Thank you, Ron. [2:20] Distinguished guests and fellow citizens, [2:23] tonight we gather on the eve of one of the most extraordinary days in the history of the world. [2:29] Tomorrow, we mark 250 years of glorious independence and 250 years of majestic American freedom. [2:40] Nothing like it. [2:45] In all the chronicles of the ages, never before has any nation celebrated so magnificent a triumph as this one, [2:53] the one that we are participating in right now. [2:57] At 250 years, America is the oldest republic on earth. [3:03] We are the freest people on earth. [3:05] We have the most righteous and enduring constitution on earth. [3:09] We are the strongest and most powerful country on earth. [3:13] And by the grace of God, the United States of America is the most successful, most accomplished, [3:20] most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history. [3:25] And it is great to be your president. [3:28] It is great. [3:33] For a quarter of a millennium, liberty, justice, equality, self-government, and unmatched prosperity [3:42] have flourished here as they have never flourished anywhere before. [3:48] There is nothing like what we are doing. [3:51] The birth and survival of the American nation under God is quite simply the best and most incredible thing ever [4:02] to happen on this planet by human hands ever. [4:05] That is, ever, ever, ever. [4:09] No other country has done more good for this world than the United States of America. [4:15] And we give thanks for these extraordinary blessings. [4:20] We remember that what we have created in this country is not the natural way of the world. [4:27] It is not the norm. [4:29] It is the exception. [4:30] It is rare. [4:31] It is priceless. [4:33] And it is truly miraculous. [4:35] Throughout the entire story of humanity, most people in most places have lived a life plagued [4:44] by suffering poverty, exploitation, violence, and misery. [4:49] But here in America, in this land, on this continent, we have written a very different story. [4:55] It is a tale of adventure, liberation, and unmatched greatness. [5:00] It is the story of people governing themselves, the many uniting as one, the men and women rising [5:07] by their own skill and talent to go further and reach higher than anyone has ever gone before. [5:14] There has never been anything like this. [5:17] The triumph of American independence was the result of the most extraordinary people in history, [5:28] the most extraordinary culture in history, and the most extraordinary ideas in history, [5:34] all creating the most extraordinary republic ever, ever, ever in history. [5:40] It all came together for the miracle of July 4th, 1776. [5:49] That was a big year. [5:54] 250 years ago tomorrow, what a big day that is. [5:58] I consider this a big day because I'm with you. [6:01] I like that too. [6:02] And by the way, we won big here. [6:11] We won really big. [6:12] Each and every time. [6:15] But 250 years ago tomorrow, the words of our Declaration of Independence sent an earthquake [6:22] through all of the coming time. [6:25] They sparked a revolution that has never ended but still continues to this day. [6:30] And tonight, we come to this beautiful mountain, and it is beautiful, to express our gratitude [6:36] to those who made it possible, starting with the four men most responsible for reaching this [6:42] milestone more than any others. [6:44] We salute the father of our country, George Washington, the author of the Declaration of [6:55] Independence, Thomas Jefferson, the great emancipator and savior of our union, Abraham Lincoln, [7:06] and the man who built America into a global superpower, Theodore Roosevelt. [7:14] These are the men who declared the freedom, and won our freedom, and saved our freedom, and [7:22] secured our freedom. [7:23] They were men of action, men of ambition, men of daring, men of destiny, and men of truly [7:30] great intelligence. [7:31] Above all, they were great men of history. [7:37] Tonight, on the threshold of our 25th year, we stand beneath the monument of these heroes, [7:43] a true group of unbelievable people. [7:47] And we rededicate ourselves to being a nation as big, bold, noble, and as great as these American [7:54] giants. [7:54] And that's not easy to do, but we're going to do it. [7:58] These men could only have been made in the USA. [8:02] Their faces are engraved on these bluffs, not only because of what they did, but to remind us forever [8:15] who we are. [8:17] These heroes exemplify what is timeless, enduring, and eternal about the American character. [8:24] And in the end, it has always been that character, our distinct and unique identity. [8:31] It is a truly unique identity, and it will never change. [8:36] It's the ultimate source of our strength and the bulwark of our freedom. [8:41] On this anniversary, we must remember, we have to remember, we can never forget that [8:46] American liberty has not endured for 250 years merely because of words on paper. [8:54] Liberty has prevailed here because of the culture and character of the people who declared [8:59] it, defended it, and preserved it. [9:02] These are very, very special times, and this is a very special place. [9:08] You live in a very special place. [9:10] Congratulations, everybody. [9:18] The identity of a nation is the destiny of a nation, and America has a destiny like no [9:24] other because we are a people like no other. [9:28] For whatever reason, that's just the way it is. [9:32] Here the old world sent its bravest, boldest, and most resilient, its fiercest, most faithful, [9:39] and freedom-loving. [9:41] These men and women brought values, traditions, and customs transmitted over the centuries in [9:46] Britain and stretching back even further to Athens, Jerusalem, and Rome. [9:53] The United States of America is where the greatest civilization in human history became greater than [10:00] ever before. [10:02] On the grounds and granite hills and the rugged plains of this wide-open continent, they forged [10:08] a uniquely American character, a new breed of citizen. [10:13] That's you. [10:14] Congratulations. [10:15] Congratulations. [10:17] You're not that new a breed. [10:21] You're a really good breed, but I'm not sure that you're that new a breed. [10:26] My friends did not bow before a king or a government, but kneeled only before Almighty God. [10:36] That's right. [10:39] These were the people who founded our republic. [10:42] These were the patriots who fought for independence. [10:45] This was the spirit that demanded freedom. [10:48] And this was the culture that built America and carved its heroes into Mount Rushmore. [10:58] For generations, it was understood that the core of patriotic duty of every American was to [11:04] pass this culture on to our children and to preserve the nation for centuries and centuries [11:10] to come. [11:12] But in recent years, there's been an undeniable attempt to change this exceptional character, [11:17] to beat the American spirit out of us, alienate us from our history, and to make it impossible [11:24] to even answer the question, what does it mean to be an American? [11:30] As we march into our 250th year, incredible, beautiful year it will be, we must never forget [11:39] there is no American freedom without American culture. [11:49] And there is no American founding without the American people. [11:53] Many nations have paper constitutions and legal systems. [11:57] But the citizens live in fear and squalor. [12:00] A constitution is only as strong as the people and the culture responsible for upholding it. [12:06] But as long as we remember who we are, we have to always remember who we are and what we're [12:12] all about, the United States of America will forever be the land of free men and women. [12:19] And we will never, ever fail. [12:27] So tonight, let us say clearly and proudly what makes Americans so unique and extraordinary. [12:35] We're going to give our country its identity back. [12:39] Above all, Americans love freedom. [12:42] We cherish independence. [12:43] And we know that we are the heirs to the most beautiful land, the most thrilling story, [12:48] and the most precious legacy on which the sun has ever shined. [12:53] In America, we do not need anyone's permission to say what we think and to live as we please, [13:00] to worship as we choose, or to keep and bear arms. [13:04] You know that. [13:12] And for almost six years during my presidency, I've saved almost single-handedly, but working [13:19] with John and some other great people, we've saved your second amendment, and I will continue [13:25] to do so. [13:26] I promise. [13:31] Our rights here, given to us by the God who made us, and those rights shall not be infringed. [13:39] Americans believe in self-reliance. [13:41] We look at success with envy not, and I say that some people are envious and some people [13:48] are not. [13:49] We are not, but with admiration, and we earn it, and we will always earn it, and we will [13:54] always respect it. [13:56] We are an incredible, good, kind, and generous people, always ready to help a friend or a [14:01] neighbor in need. [14:03] No one has ever given more to charity, ended more hunger, cured more disease, or done more [14:08] to uplift humanity than Americans, and no country ever will be able to match it. [14:33] Thank you. [14:34] Thank you. [14:36] So it's true. [14:36] Americans honor excellence. [14:38] We admire boldness. [14:39] We respect ambition. [14:41] We are a nation of dreamers and believers, warriors and explorers, doers and fighters. [14:47] In every human endeavor, Americans see an unfinished competition. [14:52] What is strong can be made stronger. [14:54] What is fast can be made faster. [14:56] What is great can be made greater than ever before. [14:59] and that's what's happening with america show us a mountain and we'll just climb it show us [15:06] an ocean and we'll just cross it show us a problem and we will just solve it show us a task [15:16] the world calls impossible and americans will get it done americans are strong and always ready to [15:27] stand firm for a good cause we treasure justice fairness family honesty and human dignity unlike [15:36] societies based on class clan or tribe we see every citizen as an individual equal under the law and [15:44] equal under the eyes of the lord in america we speak english because that is the language of our [15:54] founding and for a thousand years that has been the language of freedom an american [16:04] always wants peace and order but we will never shrink from danger or threat we will always fight [16:11] fight fight and win win win we got to do that because this is our culture this is our character [16:21] not every american is all of these things but every american knows these are the traits that [16:27] make our country exceptional and exceptional it is you do not have to be born here but you do have to [16:35] love what we have built you must love our country there has never been anything like us anywhere on [16:45] earth and we are not going to let anyone take that away yet as we approach this magnificent anniversary [16:58] we see our american identity under a renewed attack a generation after we fought and won the cold war [17:05] against the menace of communism there is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land [17:12] including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our [17:19] great success these are not mere political disagreements like differences over taxes or regulations [17:27] communism is a mortal threat to american liberty it is the greatest threat to our country including world [17:35] world war ii world war ii pearl harbor or even 9 11 we're not going to let this happen to us believe me we're [17:44] not letting it happen because communism is the enemy of free people everywhere everywhere in the world [17:53] never works it's the enemy of the constitution above all it's the enemy of july 4th 1776 it is the enemy [18:03] indeed even while the radicals and extremists attack our incredible history at every turn they are [18:11] silent on the miserable history of communism itself because it never worked thousands of years if you look [18:18] at it under different names under somewhat different ideologies and systems that system [18:25] has led to more death and destruction than any system ever tried it killed 100 million people just in [18:33] the last century alone communism is the exact opposite of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness it's [18:40] death tyranny and the pursuit of evil the godless communist morality states that anything is justified [18:49] to bring about inhuman visions and a pro and to really propose what's good they don't want good they [18:57] don't love god and they don't want god they don't love religion and they don't want religion and they won't [19:03] have it but we will not let them win they have no chance against us they have no respect for law justice [19:15] principle tradition or your god-given rights it's an ideology of mass theft mass control mass lies and [19:22] mass murder such doctrines can be given no quarter and a democracy because the first thing they do when [19:30] they get into powers turn around and destroy it it always is destroyed just as communists have done in [19:37] other countries all over the world no matter where you look very simply communism represents the worst [19:43] ideas and abuses in history by the worst people the american founding represents the best ideas and [19:50] traditions in history by the best people like you you can be loyal to Karl Marx or you can be loyal to [20:02] america you can be a communist or you can be a patriot you cannot be both as for those who peddle [20:10] marxist lies about our heritage who tell our children that we live on stolen land or that our heroes were [20:18] oppressors they're doing something much worse than slandering our past they are slandering and attacking [20:25] our future not going to let that happen they're trying to tear down the great american character to [20:31] destroy the people who declared independence who crossed the delaware who settled the west and [20:38] conquered the skies you know who those people are but we will never let that happen our american [20:44] ancestors did not shed their blood at concord and trenton gettysburg and shiloh midway and normandy [20:52] just so that a band of thieves radicals and lunatics could come in and loot pillage our nation [20:59] our heroes died to win build and to save and to build truly a great country the greatest country ever [21:06] in the world so on the eve of this 250th anniversary of american heritage we resolve and [21:20] swear for all to hear that the citizens of the united states of america will vanquish communism quickly [21:28] don't let them take too much of your time you know they're wasting your time don't you but we're not [21:34] going to let them take too long or too much of our time as they play their games and send them into [21:40] exile we will send them quickly away and we will continue to build our country bigger and better [21:48] stronger than ever before america will never be a communist country we can only lose the [22:02] midterms if we allow ourselves to lose the midterms if we are foolish stupid and unwise but if we terminate [22:11] the filibuster as we should do and immediately vote for the save america act then we will not lose [22:19] an election for 100 years we do that we're not going to lose an election for 100 years the communist [22:29] party is made up of illegal immigrants criminals and everybody that doesn't want to work communism is [22:37] a loser it always was and it is right now it's a big loser look at the people that are promoting it [22:45] they are not the people you're going to follow in 250 years the free people of this land have [22:52] accomplished more with our liberty than any other society has accomplished even in thousands and [22:59] thousands of years as you look back and you study what our critics will never understand is that america is [23:06] not the sum of its mistakes our mistakes make us human our achievements make us american and nobody has [23:15] ever had the achievements that we've had we are the nation that dreamed and created the modern world [23:21] we laid the railroads we raised up those big beautiful skyscrapers harnessed electricity and [23:29] invented the light bulb the telephone the airplane the assembly line the television the microchip [23:35] the personal computer the internet the gps the smartphone and almost everything else that has ever [23:44] been invented including especially over the last few days in certain areas a thing called air conditioning [23:55] we invented it all we charted the human genome cure diseases we powered entire cities by splitting single [24:05] atoms and planted our flag on the moon americans fill the airwaves of the planet with our music and our [24:13] culture we invented baseball basketball football volleyball nascar and the rodeo we love that rodeo of [24:21] the west americans have won the most olympic medals of any country in the world by far the most nobel prizes [24:33] well they haven't given me one instead of late wars i still haven't gotten it that's okay [24:40] and the most world records we published by far the most patents we produce the best movies we make the [24:48] best music and we raise up the greatest entertainers and strongest athletes the world has ever seen so [24:55] true we built the biggest and most dynamic economy and by the way our country today is doing better than [25:03] it's ever done before never had anything like with as of last week 19.2 trillion dollars pouring into the [25:12] united states right now from all over the world that's the investments being made and the record [25:19] was three four years in four years the last administration did much less than one and we did 19.2 [25:27] in 12 months and thanks to our great election win november 5th and the tariffs plants and factories are [25:40] being built all over the united states right now and they're being built at a number that we've never [25:46] ever seen before so much more there's we're breaking records by double triple quadruple we created the [25:54] strongest and most powerful military we won two world wars the cold war left america's enemies in the [26:01] depths of history we beat venezuela in one day and we knocked the hell out of iran they're dying to [26:10] settle they want to settle so badly we gave them a week off for a funeral because we're nice [26:21] for 250 years the entire world has looked to our country and been inspired by the leaps of progress [26:29] feats of strength and acts of selflessness faith and hope that could only have happened right here [26:36] two years ago we were laughed at mocked and a nation in decline we were in very serious decline [26:46] last administration what they've done to us we can never ever forget that and today we are the hottest [26:53] country anywhere in the world everybody respects us like no nation remember this we're respected like [27:00] no nation in the world is respected like us every king every prime minister every president they respect [27:09] us more than any other country by far two years ago they laughed at us now it's only respect and i want [27:18] to tell you the best is yet to come so in conclusion from the roaring waters of niagara falls to the [27:35] shimmering gushes of oil and fire from our beloved texas from the magnificent fields of corn and wheat and [27:44] barley of our farms in the midwest to the vast canyons of finance in new york city from the billowing [27:52] stacks of steel now being produced all over our country at record levels to the car plants that [28:00] are rising like we have never seen before we have more plants under construction than we've had ever [28:06] before automobile plants something you didn't see of it all for 35 years to technology from the minds of [28:15] geniuses that is being brought to life in all corners of our country from the snow-capped peak [28:23] peaks of the rockies to the white sand shores of the gulf of america and to right here in the black [28:36] hills of the dakotas after 250 years american freedom still rings the american dream still lives and the [28:45] american flag still flies more proudly than ever before over the people who will not quit the nation [28:53] that will not fail the country that will not fall no matter how hard the enemy tries we cannot be beaten [29:01] tomorrow we reach a milestone like no other and celebrate with joyful hearts and soaring spirits because [29:08] after two and a half centuries we know that this is not an ending this is only the beginning of the golden [29:17] age of america and together we will make america bigger better and stronger than ever before i promise [29:28] you that it's an honor to be your president thank you very much and happy independence day to all god [29:34] god bless you all god bless you all god bless you all thank you