Op-Ed: Kate MacGregor: Rolling out the Red, White, and Blue carpet for America’s 250th
At the Department of the Interior, we have the unique responsibility of helping to conserve our nation’s public lands and resources and preserve our nation’s most special places, including those places that tell our nation’s inspiring story. But never have we had the opportunity we have before us now: to celebrate 250 years of American independence.
On July 4, 2026, our nation will mark a milestone — a quarter of a millennium since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Under President Donald Trump, this administration will be rolling out the red, white, and blue carpet with a Great American State Fair to honor this anniversary with the depth, dignity, and joy it deserves.
For Secretary Doug Burgum and the Department of the Interior, this isn’t just a single day of celebration. We have already begun work to engage Americans from every corner of the country in remembering our past, reflecting on our nation’s growth, and recommitting to the values that have defined American Greatness.
Our National Parks will be the heart of this celebration. From Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where our founders gathered, to the Freedom Trail in Boston where the first shots of freedom were heard around the world, we are showcasing historic sites across the nation. Revolutionary War battlefields, from Lexington and Concord to Yorktown, will host re-enactments and educational programs. Monuments and memorials in Boston, Charleston, Washington, D.C., and beyond will remind us of the courage and sacrifice that built this nation.
We are spotlighting five signature cities — Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, and Washington, D.C. — whose streets hold the footsteps of revolutionaries, visionaries, and everyday Americans who shaped our country.
It’s been nearly 250 years since the first shots for freedom were fired, yet today we often take for granted the liberty our brave Patriots fought and sacrificed their lives to secure. Each city will host unique events honoring fallen soldiers, early pioneers, and unsung heroes whose stories still inspire us.
But this anniversary is about more than looking back, it is about inspiring the next generation. That’s why we’re taking our mission directly to the people with a number of dynamic initiatives. We’re sponsoring educational field trips for students to witness our majestic national parks firsthand. A traveling tech expo will showcase America’s greatest innovations, and activities across the nation will capture the hopes, dreams, and voices of Americans today for future generations to hear.
We’re also using this occasion to spotlight America’s creative spirit. Exhibits across the country will celebrate American art, culture, and storytelling — from jazz and blues to literature, dance, and American Indian traditions. These moments of expression remind the American people of who we are and who we strive to be.
We are coordinating with the White House to establish the National Garden of American Heroes, a permanent tribute to the individuals who shaped our country through courage, intellect, and service. Our teams are actively identifying historic sites for the right location and supporting the design and construction of this living memorial.
On July 3rd and 4th, 2026, the Department of Interior will also host Independence Day festivities at Mount Rushmore. With 25,000 people expected each day, the events will include interactive workshops, music, educational demonstrations, and ranger-guided activities — all ending with the return of a spectacular fireworks tribute above the faces of our founding leaders.
We don’t take this responsibility lightly. We know we are stewards of more than land and monuments — we are stewards of memory, of meaning, and of the American spirit.
In commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States, it’s fitting to recall the powerful words of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and former governor of New York — who, writing as Publius in Federalist No. 2, championed the ratification of the Constitution while preserving states’ self-government in 1787. In his vision of unity, Jay wrote, “This country and this people seem to have been made for each other, and it appears as if it was the design of Providence, that an inheritance so proper and convenient for a band of brethren, united to each other by the strongest ties, should never be split into a number of unsocial, jealous, and alien sovereignties.” His words still resonate today, reminding us that America was founded not just on shared interests, but on a profound belief in unity, purpose, and destiny.
As we prepare for America’s 250th birthday, we invite you to join us — in our parks, public lands, and in the patriotic moments that remind us all what it means to be American.
Kate MacGregor is the Deputy Secretary of the Interior.