Visitors to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with the return of fireworks at the iconic site on July 3.
It will be the first time in five years fireworks will illuminate the sky over the figures of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, the National Park Service (NPS) announced Monday.
The announcement said “the return of fireworks to this iconic national memorial reflects President Donald J. Trump’s vision of a ‘grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence,’” and public tickets for the event will be available through a lottery from April 8 until the 12th.
Fireworks returned to the site in 2020 for a Fourth of July celebration after many cancellations due to reported risks of wildfires, according to KARK.
In 2021, then-Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) asked now former President Joe Biden (D) to reverse his ban on fireworks at Mount Rushmore, arguing it would continue an agreement the government made with her state the previous year, according to Breitbart News.
She also cited a letter from NPS that claimed a fireworks display would not be safe or responsible. Noem added, “Last year, we hosted more than seven thousand people. Contact tracing weeks after the event could not trace a single case of COVID-19 to the event — in South Dakota or in any other state.”
The Breitbart News article highlighted the fact that establishment media criticized Noem for not hindering citizens in her state from enjoying their personal freedoms and going to work during the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
In response to the recent NPS announcement, Dr. Jenifer Chatfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, said, “In partnership with the State of South Dakota, we are excited to reinstate a spectacular fireworks show as the highlight of Mount Rushmore’s Independence Day commemoration. We invite the public to enjoy the show and reflect on our nation’s remarkable journey and the great patriotic leaders who established, preserved, and expanded our country’s destiny.”
During his speech at Mount Rushmore’s Independence Day celebration in 2020, President Trump told Americans, “We only kneel to Almighty God,” Breitbart News reported at the time.
“Trump’s statement that Americans ‘only kneel to Almighty God’ follows several instances of far-left protesters demanding police officers take a knee to demonstrate solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement,” the outlet said.
Support grew in January 2025 for the idea of adding Trump’s likeness to Mount Rushmore.
