President Donald Trump took his America 250 celebrations on the road.
Some suspect Trump has spent the past year using stunts to reinforce the image of a leader who refuses to flinch after surviving more than most.
His Mount Rushmore appearance seemed designed to keep that story alive, embracing the image of a fearless leader his supporters celebrate.
Trump addressed a crowd at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, taking the stage shortly after 9 p.m. local time, as seen in footage taken on July 3.
He walked out to “Hail to the Chief” as the spectators seated in the Black Hills cheered.
The president did not walk directly to the podium.
Instead, Trump stopped momentarily, then stuck his head out from behind the bulletproof glass to wave to his supporters.
In his remarks, the former “The Apprentice” star hailed America as the “most accomplished, most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history.” The speech ended after about 30 minutes, with Trump exiting the stage to the Village People’s 1978 anthem “Y.M.C.A.”
Again, Trump popped out from behind the protective window like a “Jack-in-the-box.”
Unlike at the beginning of his speech, the president this time spent several seconds fist-bumping on the outside of the glass.
But he went back to the other side and clapped his hands before giving a head nod, as a signal to someone in the room.
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Other Threads users shared their thoughts on Trump’s actions in South Dakota. For instance, someone posted, “We’re living through the absolute stupidest timeline in Earth’s history.”
A few people pointed out his decision to seemingly ignore security precautions and step outside of the glass.
Online jokes quickly gave way to questions about Trump’s apparent disregard for security after multiple assassination attempts in the last three years.
The first incident that nearly took Trump’s life happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024 during that year’s presidential campaign.
Then-candidate Trump was shot in the right ear, one rallygoer was killed, and several other people were wounded.
A photo of a bloodied Trump galvanized his MAGA base. It now hangs in the White House for visitors to see.
In April 2026, a gunman breached security at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington.
Secret Service agents rushed in and grabbed Vice President JD Vance first out of the room.
Guards arrived seconds later, surrounding Trump, who fell to the ground as he scrambled to safety.
Secret Service agents pulling JD Vance off stage seconds after the shots rang out pic.twitter.com/uODnSWvUQk
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 26, 2026
Those close calls have only strengthened support among many of Trump’s backers. They have also fueled unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that the assassination attempts were staged.
After viewers saw Trump unconcerned and standing outside the bulletproof glass at Mount Rushmore, those theories resurfaced online.
“Time for another fake assassination attempt,” read a Threads reply. Likewise, one person on the social media platform suggested, “Those assassination attempts are very profitable for him.”
Someone quipped, “Can’t have a fake assassination attempt if there’s no opportunity for ear pads.” Another person theorized, “He had no fear because he didn’t schedule an attempt that day.”
Trump’s overall reckless, relentless, and disruptive behavior as the head of the federal government’s Executive Branch disgusted many.
One poster declared, “I’m so sick of this s–tshow. All of it.”
Unlike Trump’s other America 250 events in Washington, the South Dakota celebration avoided major mishaps.
Weeks earlier, the Freedom 250 concert series stumbled after most booked performers dropped out over concerns that Trump’s involvement had turned the festival into a partisan event.
The 16-day Great American State Fair was then announced to grand fanfare by Trump. But once the showcase opened in June, the president was left embarrassed by the small crowd size.
Bad weather also marred the State Fair.
Extreme heat caused power outages, and severe thunderstorms reportedly forced MAGA attendees to shelter in DC’s African American History Museum.
Organizers billed the event as a unifying celebration of America’s founding, but it quickly overshadowed the historic milestone.
Even some of Trump’s most loyal supporters left his rambling June 24 speech early. This signals that his political grip on his MAGA base may be slipping.
