Trump will deliver a keynote speech at Mount Rushmore before the main 250th anniversary celebrations on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday.
The celebrations come as Trump faces rising gasoline prices linked to the US-Israeli war against Iran and concerns among Republicans over the party's prospects in November's midterm elections.
Trump Heads to Mount Rushmore Ahead of US 250th Anniversary Celebrations
The president has previously floated the idea of adding his likeness to Mount Rushmore and is pursuing several high-profile projects aimed at shaping his legacy in Washington.
Summary
President Donald Trump will travel to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday to mark the United States' 250th anniversary, ahead of the main Independence Day celebrations in Washington on Saturday.
Trump is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the monument, where the granite faces of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are carved, before attending a fireworks display. His visit comes despite concerns over fire hazards because of drought conditions in the area.
The trip serves as a prelude to Saturday night's anniversary celebrations on the National Mall, where the US President is expected to address a crowd before a large fireworks display.
Earlier this week, Trump dedicated the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Museum in Medora, North Dakota, where he drew comparisons between himself and one of America's most influential presidents.
Trump, who last visited Mount Rushmore in 2020, has previously suggested adding his own likeness to the monument alongside those of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," he said in a social media post during his first term in 2020.
While there has been no serious effort to add his image to the monument during his second term, Trump has sought to shape his legacy through a series of high-profile projects in Washington, including plans for a new White House ballroom, a monumental arch and renovations to several of the capital's most prominent monuments and public spaces.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota, is expected to accompany Trump on the trip. The president will make his second flight aboard the Qatari jumbo jet gifted for use as Air Force One for the remainder of his presidency.
The anniversary celebrations come as Trump faces political and economic challenges, including elevated gasoline prices linked to the US-Israeli war against Iran and growing concern among Republican lawmakers that the conflict could hurt the party's chances of retaining control of Congress in November's midterm elections.
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(Reuters reported)
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