Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has approved the return of fireworks to Mount Rushmore for America’s 250th birthday celebration in 2026, Republican South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden announced on February 14.
Rhoden has also invited President Donald Trump to attend the celebration, aiming to make the national monument a centerpiece of America’s highly anticipated semiquincentennial commemorations.
Newsweek reached out to Rhoden’s office via online form on Saturday for comment.
What To Know
The decision revives a controversial tradition at Mount Rushmore that has been suspended since 2020 due to environmental concerns.
The return of fireworks marks a significant shift in federal policy and comes as the monument remains at the center of national political discourse.
Why It Matters
Mount Rushmore’s fireworks displays ran from the late 1990s until 2009, when former President Barack Obama’s administration stopped them citing wildfire risks and water pollution concerns. The tradition briefly resumed in 2020 during Trump’s first term, with then-Governor Kristi Noem, now Homeland Security Secretary, hosting the event. A federal judge blocked additional shows in 2021, and Joe Biden’s administration later rejected subsequent requests.
The revival stems from collaboration between state officials and the newly established White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday (Task Force 250). Earlier this month, Rhoden wrote to Trump emphasizing Mount Rushmore’s significance for the nation’s birthday celebration.
The announcement arrives amid renewed debate about the monument itself. In January, Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida introduced legislation to add Trump to Mount Rushmore, citing his “transformative impact on America.”
What People Are Saying
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden on X, formerly Twitter: “Just got off the phone Secretary Burgum. He confirmed that we will have FIREWORKS at Mount Rushmore for America’s 250th birthday!”
Rhoden in a formal invitation to Trump said: “We are ready to throw the biggest birthday party ever for the United States of America. And there is no better place to do it than Mount Rushmore. I trust that you will work closely with us to make it happen, and we cannot wait to see you there.”
President Donald Trump said in a 2020 speech on Mount Rushmore: “There could be no better place to celebrate America’s independence than beneath this magnificent, incredible, majestic mountain and monument to the greatest Americans who have ever lived.”
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What Happens Next
As the historic site prepares for its first fireworks display since 2020, Governor Rhoden awaits President Trump’s response to the invitation.
The monument, carved by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and over 400 workers across 14 years, continues to generate discussion about its role in contemporary American politics and culture.
