Trump delivers remarks at Mount Rushmore to kick off America’s 250th anniversary — NBC News

[0:40] he puts american safety first and he puts american freedom first it was six years ago president [0:53] trump helped bring this event back and when we took office again and when he took office again [1:00] we got right back to work and you see the fruits of that work all around you mr president thank [1:08] you for making tonight happen and thank you to everyone here at mount rushmore and everyone [1:14] watching at home for joining this incredible celebration my mission as governor of south [1:26] dakota is to keep our state strong safe and free like america is to the world south dakota has been [1:36] a beacon of hope for what is possible when we keep government limited when we remain true to american [1:44] values and to our freedoms here we recognize that our rights liberties and freedoms are not [1:53] given to us by government but by god and government has no authority to take those rights away america [2:11] isn't perfect lord knows the challenges will arise but america has overcome challenges for 250 years [2:20] and turned them into opportunities and we will continue to do that by holding true to the ideals [2:29] of the four men on this mountain happy birthday america thank you thank you thank you please there's [2:55] one more man i'd like to thank secretary of the interior doug bergam and the entire team at interior [3:02] and to travel south dakota for leading efforts on behalf of our state of course doug is from our neighbor [3:10] to the north so doug welcome to the better dakota seriously ever since the trump administration took the reins [3:25] you've been a great example of communication and collaboration with the states which makes sense [3:32] because you sit where we sit so thank you once again to secretary bergam to president trump and to [3:39] the whole trump administration for making this event happen so now ladies and gentlemen help me welcome [3:50] united states secretary of the interior doug bergam are you ready are you ready to celebrate 250 years of [4:36] the most powerful nation in the world yes it was 250 years ago we're on the eve of that 250 years ago a [4:46] handful of patriots ordinary americans they gathered together and they did the improbable they wrote a [4:53] declaration of independence for the first time in history they declared a nation that was founded not [5:02] on hierarchy not on monarchy but not on hereditary but on an enduring truth that every american is endowed [5:11] by their creator with certain unalienable rights and among those you know what these are life liberty [5:20] and the pursuit of happiness most in the world thought that this would dream would fail but instead [5:29] it became something that you're all a part of the greatest experiment in self-government in human history [5:36] it's the story of america it's always been a story of people doing improbable things things that people [5:43] thought were impossible we make possible tonight we gather beneath four presidents carved into granite [5:49] beneath a mountain that tells us a story a story of a nation made up of people like you [6:09] yeah baby that's a b-52 they can fly from here to the other side of the world and back from missions from north and south dakota [6:20] let's give it up for our great air force but yes as we gather beneath these four presidents carved in [6:32] granite that are telling a story they tell a story of a nation of ordinary citizens citizens like all of [6:38] you pioneers inventors moms dads builders people that had a dream and served their served their city [6:47] served their community served their state and some became presidents we became the most exceptional most [6:54] abundant nation in history because what because of the freedom we had to turn opportunity and innovation [7:02] and innovation into prosperity we explored a continent we powered the world with american energy we fed the [7:08] world with american farms and we saved the world from fascism and communism not once but twice usa yes that [7:30] same spirit that spirit that you're chanting right now lives on today it lives on in our ranchers and [7:36] farmers our innovators our entrepreneurs our miners our manufacturers our small business owners and it lives on [7:43] certainly in everyone who served in our military and thanks to president trump that revolutionary [7:55] spirit that founded this country that americans believe that they can overcome any obstacle it has [8:00] returned under president trump america is back president trump is leading us into a new golden age an [8:11] age with peace abroad and prosperity at home the famous faces behind us remind us of where america has [8:19] been but the faces before me all of you and all the patriots watching at home give me the hope for our [8:25] country going forward the faces of ordinary americans who care for their families care for their communities [8:32] care for their neighbors and care deeply about the future of this country in just a few minutes the 45th and [8:39] 47th president united states is going to join us under these famous faces the faces of his predecessors [8:48] and how great is it for all of us to have a leader who's committed to restoring american strength [8:56] restoring american pride who believes in unleashing american opportunity and ensuring that america's [9:03] greatest century is still ahead president trump reminds us that we're a nation of abundance [9:08] a nation of opportunity that we've been built on freedom we're a nation that dreams bigger and bolder than [9:17] ever before those dreams that you have the dreams that you thought were impossible in this country they [9:24] can come true we're a nation that believes that we can do the hard things again not just the easy things [9:31] but you know what we can do we can all seize this moment together let's make this 250th year the year that [9:37] starts tomorrow worthy of our great nation worthy of those that have sacrificed everything to give us [9:44] this opportunity of freedom and opportunity i invite every american to join us join in this celebration [9:52] be part of this inspiration this country unlike any other and do it not for you do it for your [10:00] children and our children's children god bless you god bless president trump and god bless the united states [10:07] of america gentlemen please welcome the 45th and 47th president of the united states of america donald j trump [14:38] thank you very much to the men and women of the south dakota air national guard and those beautiful [15:43] f-35s we love them and i want to thank you all for being in this is a big crowd this is a lovely crowd [15:50] and and what a sight it is i want to thank senate majority leader john thune a good friend of mine and [15:57] all of us senator mike rounds great guy governor larry roden thank you larry lieutenant governor [16:10] van heisen was waiting for that they said you start speaking they won't interrupt you at all they didn't [16:25] interrupt us at all thank you they're fantastic what great incredible talented pilots thank you very much [16:33] and secretary bergam who's doing a phenomenal job governor ron de santis thank you governor [16:41] where's ron thank you ron distinguished guests and fellow citizens tonight we gather on the eve of [16:48] one of the most extraordinary days in the history of the world tomorrow we mark 250 years of glorious [16:57] independence and 250 years of majestic american freedom nothing like it in all the chronicles of the [17:10] ages never before has any nation celebrated so magnificent a triumph as this one the one that we [17:18] are participating in right now at 250 years america is the oldest republic on earth we are the freest people [17:27] on earth we have the most righteous and enduring constitution on earth we are the strongest and most [17:34] powerful country on earth and by the grace of god the united states of america is the most successful [17:42] most accomplished most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history and it is great to be your [17:50] president it is great for a quarter of a millennium liberty justice equality self-government and unmatched [18:04] prosperity have flourished here as they have never flourished anywhere before there is nothing like [18:12] what we are doing birth and survival of the american nation under god is quite simply [18:23] the best and most incredible thing ever to happen on this planet by human hands ever that is ever ever [18:30] ever no other country has done more good for this world than the united states of america and we give [18:40] thanks for these extraordinary blessings we remember that what we have created in this country is not the [18:47] natural way of the world it is not the norm it is the exception it is rare it is priceless and it is truly [18:57] miraculous throughout the entire story of humanity most people in most places have lived a life plagued [19:07] by suffering poverty exploitation violence and misery but here in america in this land on this continent [19:16] we have written a very different story it's a tale of adventure liberation and unmatched greatness it's the [19:24] story of people governing themselves the many uniting as one the men and women rising by their own skill and [19:31] talent to go further and reach higher than anyone has ever gone before there has never been anything like [19:39] this the triumph of american independence was the result of the most extraordinary people in history [19:52] the most extraordinary culture in history and the most extraordinary ideas in history all creating the [19:59] most extraordinary republic ever ever ever in history it all came together for the miracle of july 4th [20:10] 1776 that was a big year 250 years ago tomorrow what a big day that is i consider this a big day because [20:23] i'm with you i like that too and by the way we won big here we won really big each each and every time [20:38] but 250 years ago tomorrow the words of our declaration of independence sent an earthquake through all of the [20:47] coming time they sparked a revolution that has never ended but still continues to this day [20:53] and tonight we come to this beautiful mountain and it is beautiful to express our gratitude to those who [21:00] made it possible starting with the four men most responsible for reaching this milestone more than any [21:07] others we salute the father of our country george washington the author of the declaration of independence [21:19] thomas jefferson the great emancipator and savior of our union abraham lincoln and the man who built [21:32] america into a global superpower theodore roosevelt these are the men who declared the freedom and won our [21:43] freedom and saved our freedom and secured our freedom they were men of action men of ambition men of daring [21:51] men of destiny and men of truly great intelligence above all they were great men of history tonight on [22:01] the threshold of our 25th year we stand beneath the monument of these heroes a true group of unbelievable [22:09] people and we rededicate ourselves to being a nation as big bold noble and as great as these american giants [22:17] and that's not easy to do but we're going to do it these men could only have been made in the usa their [22:31] faces are engraved on these bluffs not only because of what they did but to remind us forever who we are [22:40] these heroes exemplify what is timeless enduring and eternal about the american character and in the end [22:49] it has always been that character our distinct and unique identity it is a truly unique identity [22:57] and it'll never change it's the ultimate source of our strength and the bulwark of our freedom [23:04] on this anniversary we must remember we have to remember we can never forget that american liberty has [23:11] not endured for 250 years merely because of words on paper liberty has prevailed here because of the [23:19] the culture and character of the people who declared it defended it and preserved it these are very [23:26] very special times and this is a very special place you live in a very special place congratulations [23:35] everybody the identity of a nation is the destiny of a nation and america has a destiny like no other [23:47] because we are a people like no other for whatever reason that's just the way it is here the old world [23:56] sent its bravest boldest and most resilient its fiercest most faithful and freedom loving these men and women [24:05] brought values traditions and customs transmitted over the centuries in britain and stretching back even [24:12] further to athens jerusalem and rome the united states of america is where the greatest civilization in human [24:20] history became greater than ever before on the grounds and granite hills and the rugged plains of this [24:29] wide-open continent they forged a uniquely american character a new breed of citizen that's you [24:37] congratulations congratulations you're not that new a breed you're a really good breed but i'm not sure [24:47] that you're that new a breed americans did not bow before a king or a government but kneeled only before [24:55] almighty god that's right these were the people who founded our republic these were the patriots who fought [25:06] for independence this was the spirit that demanded freedom and this was the culture that built america and [25:13] carved its heroes into mount rushmore for generations it was understood that the core of patriotic duty [25:25] of every american was to pass this culture on to our children and to preserve the nation for centuries [25:32] and centuries to come but in recent years there's been an undeniable attempt to change this exceptional character [25:40] to beat the american spirit out of us alienate us from our history and to make it impossible to even [25:47] answer the question what does it mean to be an american as we march into our 250th year incredible beautiful year [26:00] it will be we must never forget there is no american freedom without american culture and there is no [26:12] american founding without the american people many nations have paper constitutions and legal systems but [26:20] the citizens live in fear and squalor a constitution is only as strong as the people and the culture [26:27] responsible for upholding it but as long as we remember who we are we have to always remember [26:34] who we are and what we're all about the united states of america will forever be the land of free [26:40] men and women and we will never ever fail so tonight let us say clearly and proudly what makes [26:54] americans so unique and extraordinary we're going to give our country its identity back above all americans [27:03] love freedom we cherish independence and we know that we are the heirs to the most beautiful land the [27:10] most thrilling story and the most precious legacy on which the sun has ever shined in america we do not [27:18] need anyone's permission to say what we think and to live as we please to worship as we choose or to [27:25] keep and bear arms you know that and for almost six years during my presidency i've saved almost single [27:41] handedly but working with john and some other great people we've saved your second amendment and i will [27:48] continue to do so i promise our rights here given to us by the god who made us and those rights shall [28:00] not be infringed americans believe in self-reliance we look at success with envy not and i say that [28:09] some people are envious and some people are not we are not but with admiration and we earn it and we will [28:16] always earn it and we will always respect it we are an incredible good kind and generous people [28:22] always ready to help a friend or a neighbor in need no one has ever given more to charity ended more [28:29] hunger cured more disease or done more to uplift humanity than americans and no country ever will be [28:36] able to match it thank you so true americans honor excellence we admire boldness we respect ambition [29:04] we're a nation of dreamers and believers warriors and explorers doers and fighters in every human [29:11] endeavor americans see an unfinished competition what is strong can be made stronger what is fast can be [29:18] made faster what is great can be made greater than ever before and that's what's happening with america [29:24] show us a mountain and we'll just climb it show us an ocean and we'll just cross it show us a problem [29:34] and we will just solve it show us a task the world calls impossible and americans will get it done americans [29:49] are strong and always ready to stand firm for a good cause we treasure justice fairness family honesty and [29:56] human dignity unlike societies based on class clan or tribe we see every citizen as an individual equal [30:06] under the law and equal under the eyes of the lord in america we speak english because that is the [30:16] language of our founding and for a thousand years that has been the language of freedom an american [30:27] always wants peace and order but we will never shrink from danger or threat we will always fight fight [30:35] and win win win win we got to do that because this is our culture this is our character not every american is all of [30:46] these things but every american knows these are the traits that make our country exceptional and exceptional it is [30:55] you do not have to be born here but you do have to love what we have built you must love our country [31:00] there has never been anything like us anywhere on earth and we are not going to let anyone take that [31:13] away yet as we approach this magnificent anniversary we see our american identity under a renewed attack [31:25] a generation after we fought and won the cold war against the menace of communism there is now a [31:32] resurgence of the communist menace in our land including from newcomers to our country who embrace [31:38] ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success these are not mere political disagreements [31:46] like differences over taxes or regulations communism is a mortal threat to american liberty it is the [31:55] greatest threat to our country including world war one world war ii pearl harbor or even 9 11. we're not [32:04] going to let this happen to us believe me we're not letting it happen because communism is the enemy of free [32:13] people everywhere everywhere in the world never works it's the enemy of the constitution above all it's the [32:21] the enemy of july 4th 1776 it is the enemy indeed even while the radicals and extremists attack our incredible [32:32] history at every turn they are silent on the miserable history of communism itself because it never worked [32:40] thousands of years if you look at it under different names under somewhat different ideologies and systems [32:47] that system has led to more death and destruction than any system ever tried it killed 100 million [32:55] people just in the last century alone communism is the exact opposite of life liberty and the pursuit of [33:03] happiness it's death tyranny and the pursuit of evil the godless communist morality states that anything is [33:11] justified to bring about inhuman visions and a pro and to really propose [33:18] what's good they don't want good they don't love god and they don't want god they don't love religion [33:24] and they don't want religion and they won't have it but we will not let them win they have no chance [33:31] against us they have no respect for law justice principle tradition or your god-given rights [33:41] it's an ideology of mass theft mass control mass lies and mass murder such doctrines can be given no [33:49] quarter and democracy because the first thing they do when they get into power is turn around and [33:55] destroy it it always is destroyed just as communists have done in other countries all over the world no [34:02] matter where you look very simply communism represents the worst ideas and abuses in history by the worst [34:09] people the american founding represents the best ideas and traditions in history by the best people like [34:17] you you can be loyal to carl marx or you can be loyal to america you can be a communist or you can [34:28] be a patriot you cannot be both as for those who peddle marx's lies about our heritage tell our children [34:37] that we live on stolen land or that our heroes were oppressors they're doing something much worse than [34:44] slandering our past they are slandering and attacking our future not going to let that happen they're [34:51] trying to tear down the great american character to destroy the people who declared independence [34:58] who crossed the delaware who settled the west and conquered the skies you know who those people are [35:04] but we will never let that happen our american ancestors did not shed their blood at concord and [35:11] trenton gettysburg and shiloh midway and normandy just so that a band of thieves radicals and lunatics [35:19] could come in and loot pillage our nation our heroes died to win build and to save and to build truly [35:27] a great country the greatest country ever in the world so on the eve of this 250th anniversary of american [35:41] heritage we resolve and swear for all to hear that the citizens of the united states of america [35:48] will vanquish communism quickly don't let them take too much of your time you know they're wasting your [35:55] time don't you but we're not going to let them take too long or too much of our time as they play their [36:01] games and send them into exile we will send them quickly away and we will continue to build our country [36:09] bigger and better and stronger than ever before america will never be a communist country we can [36:23] only lose the midterms if we allow ourselves to lose the midterms if we are foolish stupid and unwise [36:33] but if we terminate the filibuster as we should do and immediately vote for the save america act [36:40] then we will not lose an election for a hundred years we do that we're not going to lose an election [36:49] for a hundred years the communist party is made up of illegal immigrants criminals and everybody that [36:57] doesn't want to work communism is a loser it always was and it is right now it's a big loser look at the [37:07] people that are promoting it they are not the people you're going to follow in 250 years the free [37:13] people of this land have accomplished more with our liberty than any other society has accomplished [37:20] even in thousands and thousands of years as you look back and you study what our critics will never [37:27] understand is that america is not the sum of its mistakes our mistakes make us human our achievements [37:35] make us american and nobody has ever had the achievements that we've had [37:41] we are the nation that dreamed and created the modern world we laid the railroads we raised up those big [37:48] beautiful skyscrapers harnessed electricity and invented the light bulb the telephone the airplane [37:55] the assembly line the television the microchip the personal computer the internet the gps the smartphone and [38:04] almost everything else that has ever been invented including especially over the last few days in [38:11] certain areas a thing called air conditioning we invented it all we charted the human genome cure diseases [38:25] we powered entire cities by splitting single atoms and planted our flag on the moon americans fill the [38:33] airwaves of the planet with our music and our culture we invented baseball basketball football volleyball nascar [38:41] and the rodeo we love that rodeo of the west americans have won the most olympic medals of any country in [38:51] the world by far the most nobel prizes well they haven't given me one said a late wars i still haven't [39:01] gotten it that's okay and the most world records we published by far the most patents we produce the [39:10] best movies we make the best music and we raise up the greatest entertainers and strongest athletes the [39:17] world has ever seen so true we built the biggest and most dynamic economy and by the way our country today [39:25] is doing better than it's ever done before never had anything like with as of last week 19.2 trillion [39:34] dollars pouring into the united states right now from all over the world that's the investments being [39:40] made and the record was three four years in four years the last administration did much less than one [39:48] and we did 19.2 in 12 months and thanks to our great election win november 5th and the tariffs plants [40:02] and factories are being built all over the united states right now and they're being built at a number [40:08] that we've never ever seen before so much more there's we're breaking records by double triple quadruple [40:16] we created the strongest and most powerful military we won two world wars the cold war [40:22] left america's enemies in the depths of history we beat venezuela in one day and we knocked the [40:31] hell out of iran they're dying to settle they want to settle so badly we gave them a week off for a [40:41] funeral because we're nice for 250 years the entire world has looked to our country and been inspired by [40:50] the leaps of progress feats of strength and acts of selflessness faith and hope that could only [40:57] have happened right here two years ago we were laughed at mocked and a nation in decline we were in [41:06] very serious decline last administration what they've done to us we can never ever forget that and today [41:15] we are the hottest country anywhere in the world everybody respects us like no nation remember this [41:22] we're respected like no nation in the world is respected like us every king every prime minister every [41:31] president they respect us more than any other country by far two years ago they laughed at us [41:38] now it's only respect and i want to tell you the best is yet to come so in conclusion from the [41:53] the roaring waters of niagara falls to the shimmering gushes of oil and fire from our beloved texas [42:04] from the magnificent fields of corn and wheat and barley of our farms in the midwest to the vast canyons of [42:12] finance in new york city from the billowing sacks of steel now being produced all over our country at record levels [42:21] to the car plants that are rising like we have never seen before we have more plants under construction [42:28] than we've had ever before automobile plants something you didn't see of at all for 35 years [42:36] to technology from the minds of geniuses that is being brought to life in all corners of our country [42:44] from the snow-capped peaks of the rockies to the white sand shores of the gulf of america and to [42:57] right here in the black hills of the dakotas after 250 years american freedom still rings the american dream [43:07] still lives and the american flag still flies more proudly than ever before over the people who will not [43:14] quit the nation that will not fail the country that will not fall no matter how hard the enemy tries [43:22] we cannot be beaten tomorrow we reach a milestone like no other and celebrate with joyful hearts and [43:30] soaring spirits because after two and a half centuries we know that this is not an ending this is [43:37] only the beginning of the golden age of america and together we will make america bigger better and [43:47] stronger than ever before i promise you that it's an honor to be your president thank you very much and [43:55] happy independence day to all god bless you all god bless you all thank you