America's 250th birthday party will include fireworks at Mount Rushmore
Gov. Rhoden gets assurance from U.S. Interior Sec. Burgum that 2026 Independence Day celebration at Black Hills monument will feature pyrotechnics
PIERRE — Fireworks will return to Mount Rushmore.
The office of South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden announced Monday that it has received confirmation from U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum that a pyrotechnics display will be part of festivities in the Black Hills for the country’s 250th Independence Day celebration in 2026.
“We are ready to throw the biggest birthday party ever for the United States of America,” Rhoden said in a statement. “Our nation’s 250th birthday will draw the attention of the entire world, reminding us just how proud we are to be Americans.”
Rhoden on Friday personally spoke with Burgum about South Dakota’s desire to reinstate Independence Day fireworks at Mount Rushmore. Fireworks were last permitted in the Black Hills National Forest by the U.S. National Park Service in 2020 during the final year of President Donald Trump’s first stint in the White House.
Since then, the Biden administration has rejected similar fireworks permit applications made by the state of South Dakota, citing wildfire risks and opposition from Native American tribes.
Trump’s return to the White House, however, brought optimism that Mount Rushmore fireworks could follow, even before the swearing-in of the new president.
Before resigning from the governor’s office to become the Department of Homeland Security secretary in late January, Noem told state lawmakers she’d be using her new position to help bring a full-scale Independence Day celebration back to Mount Rushmore, particularly in 2026 when the United States turns 250 years old.
Rhoden last month penned a letter to Trump inviting him to attend the 2026 Independence Day celebration at Mount Rushmore, expressing confidence the Trump administration would work with South Dakota officials to make the celebration happen.
“South Dakota is excited to work with your administration to bring back the Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration for Independence Day,” he wrote. “I trust that you will work closely with us to make it happen, and we cannot wait to see you there.”
Congressman Dusty Johnson has also urged the Trump administration to bring fireworks back to Mount Rushmore.
This will no doubt help repair relationships with the tribes. At least if a fire erupts we won’t have to worry about having to endanger Park Service employees to put it out. I’m sure by then we’ll have eliminated all the waste (meaning people) in the Park Service. It actually is a good metaphor given the scorched earth policies of the current administration. https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/thousands-of-park-workers-fired-in-devastating-trump-layoffs/ar-AA1z7TTx
Maybe they can hurry-up and carve his image on the monument before then. How hard could it be to chop out a big a**hole.