President Donald Trump visited Mount Rushmore on Friday (3\/7) to open\nthe series of celebrations for the United States\u2019 250th anniversary. He\ndelivered a speech at the foot of the iconic monument featuring the\ncarved faces of four of his legendary predecessors.<\/p>\n
Before the president\u2019s arrival, White House Press Secretary Karoline\nLeavitt told reporters that Trump\u2019s speech would be \u2018inspiring and\noptimistic\u2019 and focus on the theme of what it means to be an American.\nShe added that the statement would also \u2018serve as a stern rebuke of\nCommunism,\u2019 a theme the president has repeatedly echoed in recent\nweeks.<\/p>\n
Amid this momentum, the 80-year-old Republican politician is seen as\ntrying to turn the major American commemoration into a celebration of\nhimself. The speech location is considered symbolic for Trump, who views\nhimself as one of the great leaders. In fact, his supporters have\nproposed legislation to have his face carved alongside George\nWashington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore\nRoosevelt.<\/p>\n
\u2018Trump loves the spotlight, and I think he\u2019s trying to take the\nspotlight,\u2019 Peter Loge, Director of the School of Media at George\nWashington University, told AFP.<\/p>\n
However, the national celebration is taking place amid a politically\ndivided America. Public satisfaction with Trump is nearing a low point,\ntriggered by the conflict in Iran and a surge in the cost of living.\nDuring an appearance on Second Lady Usha Vance\u2019s podcast on Friday,\nTrump addressed the sense of national division when asked why children\nshould celebrate the US anniversary.<\/p>\n
\u2018We have a great country. We have a country that is under a little\nbit of pressure right now,\u2019 he said. \u2018It could go one way or the other,\nyou understand that, but we\u2019re going the other way.\u2019<\/p>\n
Beyond political issues, the celebration also faces technical\nchallenges. The \u2018Great American State Fair\u2019 event in the capital was\nsparsely attended and drew mockery due to empty booths, compounded by an\nextreme heatwave. Despite this, Trump stated he was undaunted by the hot\nweather.<\/p>\n
\u2018On the 4th of July, the temperature will be around 107 degrees\nFahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius), and I\u2019m going to go there and give a\nvery long speech, just to show I can do anything,\u2019 Trump said on\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a recent Quinnipiac University survey shows 61% of\nAmericans believe the US has not lived up to the ideals set out in the\nDeclaration of Independence. Trump is increasingly using the 250th\nanniversary momentum as a stage to rally political support ahead of the\nupcoming midterm elections in November.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/trumps-mount-rushmore-speech-kicks-off-us-250th-anniversary-celebrations-1783140634", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }