On Friday, President Donald Trump said that he plans to attend a fireworks show at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on July 3, after his administration lifted environmental restrictions that prevented such displays.
South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem praised the Commander in Chief for making it possible, as there have not been fireworks at the historic monument since 2009.
Last May, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to work to reinstate fireworks at Mount Rushmore for Fourth of July celebrations, according to a Department of the Interior press release.
The Department of the Interior performed an environmental assessment that found there would be “no significant impact” if the show proceeded this year, The Hill reported.
“For 20 years or something, it hasn’t been allowed for environmental reasons. You believe that one? It’s all stone,” President Trump told Dan Bongino on his podcast Friday.
“Anyway, I got it approved so I’m going to go there on July 3, and they’re going to have the big fireworks,” he added. Continued Below
Gov. Kristi Noem had been working with the administration since last year to try to bring the fireworks back to the national monument, and the Department of the Interior cleared the display earlier this week, The Hill added.
Governor Noem took to Twitter on Friday to say: “This year, we’re bringing fireworks back to Mt. Rushmore to celebrate Independence Day. Great news: @realDonaldTrump is coming to enjoy the show with us!”
“Thank you @POTUS for working with us to make this a reality. There’s truly no better place to celebrate America’s birthday,” she expressed. Video Below
The president’s trip will mark his first trip as Commander in Chief to Mount Rushmore, which has the faces of former presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt carved in stone.
Gov. Kristi Noem’s official tweet:
This year, we're bringing fireworks back to Mt. Rushmore to celebrate Independence Day. Great news: @realDonaldTrump is coming to enjoy the show with us!
Thank you @POTUS for working with us to make this a reality. There's truly no better place to celebrate America's birthday. https://t.co/pMhS2XihEe
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) May 1, 2020
We leave you with a video of fireworks at Mount Rushmore:
