On eve of 250th US independence, Trump calls communism greatest threat, surpassing world wars and 9/11
Speaking at Mount Rushmore on the eve of the 250th anniversary of US independence, President Donald Trump declared communism the greatest threat to the nation, surpassing both world wars, Pearl Harbor, and the 9/11 attacks.
Mount Rushmore address
On July 3, 2026, President Donald Trump delivered a roughly 30-minute speech at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the site of the granite carvings of presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln. He honored them as men of action, ambition, and courage, and described the United States as the oldest republic, the most free country, and the strongest nation on earth.
Communism as the greatest threat
Trump devoted a significant portion of his remarks to warning about communism, which he called the greatest danger facing the country.
He said communist systems had killed 100 million people in the last century and that the ideology is fundamentally opposed to American values.Communism is a moral threat to American freedom. It is the greatest threat to our country, greater than World War I, World War II, the attack on Pearl Harbor, or even the 9/11 attacks.
You can be a communist or a patriot. You cannot be both.
Political opponents and the elections
The president linked his warning to the upcoming congressional elections, accusing political adversaries of promoting communist ideas. He claimed that a communist threat was resurging, including among newcomers to the United States who hold views contrary to the American way of life. Trump argued that losing the elections would be a self-inflicted wound, but that eliminating the Senate filibuster and passing the "Save America Act" would secure electoral victories for a century.
If we eliminate the filibuster, as we should, and immediately pass the 'Save America Act', we will not lose any elections for the next hundred years.
Anniversary celebrations and boycott
The speech was part of broader 250th independence anniversary events. In Washington D.C., a 16-day Great American State Fair was planned on the National Mall, featuring state pavilions, concerts, a Ferris wheel, and a rodeo. However, seven states with Democratic governors, including Oregon, refused to send official delegations. A spokesperson for Oregon's governor cited high costs and concerns that the event was taking on a more partisan character than originally intended.
Times Square ball drop
In New York, the Times Square crystal ball was lowered at midnight on July 3 for the first time ever outside of New Year's Eve, marking the anniversary in what organizers called an unprecedented tribute.
