Trump heads to Mount Rushmore for divisive fireworks celebration
President plans to decry ‘leftwing mob’ in event raising concerns over wildfire risk, respect for tribal land and Covid-19 dangers
Donald Trump is heading to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday night for an early Fourth of July fireworks celebration that has caused division over its every aspect, from respect for tribal land to wildfire dangers, coronavirus risk and the optics of such a trip when some hospitals are in crisis mode.
The president plans a fiery speech at the mountain monument where four presidents’ faces are carved into the hillside, billed to include denunciations of protesters attacking Confederate statues who he will say are trying to “tear down” the nation’s history.
Related: Fourth of July celebrations increase risk of ‘superspreader’ events, experts warn
