NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump is gearing up for the 250th anniversary of American independence and plans to establish a national sculpture garden, while also reviving initiatives aimed at penalizing those who deface or destroy statues and monuments.
On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order to create a White House task force that will orchestrate what he envisions as a “grand celebration” to mark this monumental occasion, which will take place on July 4, 2026.
The task force, led by Trump himself, will include various high-ranking administration officials, including cabinet secretaries. Additionally, the executive order reinstates Trump’s aspirations to create a “National Garden of American Heroes,” featuring monuments dedicated to 250 historical figures.
Trump initially revealed his concept of this new monument during a 2020 Independence Day speech at Mount Rushmore. He envisioned it as a tribute to “the giants of our past,” housing sculptures of numerous notable American figures ranging from presidents to sports icons.
The original list curated by Trump included names such as Davy Crockett, Billy Graham, Whitney Houston, Harriet Tubman, and Antonin Scalia. However, no site was designated for the garden, and Congress never allocated funding for the project. The initiative was dismantled after President Joe Biden took office.
This announcement aligns with a conservative outcry against the removal of statues honoring Confederate leaders and slave owners, which gained momentum following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests.
According to a White House document concerning the order, “The National Garden will honor American heroism after dozens of monuments to Americans, including Presidents and Founding Fathers, have toppled or been destroyed and have not been restored.”
The latest executive action also reinstates a previous order signed by Trump in 2020 that aimed at safeguarding monuments, memorials, and statues from vandalism and destruction, which had been overturned by Biden.
This earlier order emerged during protests against racial injustice, particularly after attempts to remove a statue of Andrew Jackson near the White House were thwarted. It mandated the attorney general to pursue the maximum penalties for individuals or groups responsible for vandalizing or destroying any monument or statue, as well as threatening local law enforcement agencies with funding cuts if they failed to protect these structures.
The recent executive order cites “Recent examples of conduct necessitating reinstatement of this order” in light of the escalating violence linked to the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, followed by Israel’s response in Gaza. Notably, it references a protest in June where activists, advocating for a ceasefire, defaced statues and buildings near the White House.
Plans for the signing of this recent order were first highlighted by a report from Fox News.
As part of his campaign for the 2024 election, Trump has discussed plans for a yearlong celebration titled “Salute to America 250.” He promised that, should he return to office, he would assemble a task force to collaborate with local and state entities to kick off the festivities by the upcoming Memorial Day.
He seeks to include an extensive “Great American State Fair” in Iowa that would spotlight the achievements of each state in the union, encouraging national pride and innovative visions for the future of America.
Moreover, he has expressed a desire to initiate “Patriot Games,” which would be sports competitions for high school athletes nationwide. He indicated that the aim of these contests would be to showcase the talent, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit that symbolize the best of America.
