George Washington greets you as you enter the truck. The first president, dressed in a black velvet coat and white cravat, stares out from the Lansdowne portrait. As you approach, his arm moves, his lips part, and an AI version speaks: 'My name is George Washington, you may have heard of me.' He challenges visitors to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for the American cause.
This is the experience inside one of six 'Freedom Trucks' launched by President Donald Trump ahead of the United States' 250th birthday on July 4. These massive 18-wheelers are fanning out across the 48 contiguous states, each loaded with interactive quizzes, facsimiles of historic documents, and a 'wall of American heroes' featuring figures from Mark Twain to Aretha Franklin.
A White Christian Narrative
The exhibit predominantly celebrates the founding of the nation and the Revolutionary War, with scant attention to later history. America is depicted as a white Christian nation. While some Black luminaries like Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr. are included, the focus is on white male founders. AI Washington declares that 'our rights are a gift from God,' and placards assert that 'the foundational principles of America are rooted in the Western and Judeo-Christian traditions.'
The most brazen aspect is the bookending: Washington opens, and a video of Trump closes. In the video, Trump sits at the Oval Office desk, praising the founding fathers and hailing America as 'the greatest force for freedom, justice, equality and prosperity in the history of the world.' A nearby board quotes his State of the Union address: 'The golden age of America has only just begun.'
Mixed Reactions from Visitors
At the Maricopa County Fairground in Phoenix, Arizona, visitors had varied responses. Darin Stordahl, a Gulf War veteran, loved the story of America but disagreed with Trump's current war with Iran, saying, 'Trump is trying to be a king.' Aaliyah Hunt, a 15-year-old African American, was disturbed by the Trump video, calling him 'disgusting.' Conversely, Amy, a former Tea Party activist, found the exhibit balanced and accurate, and wished Trump had more power.
Shavonne Updike, a Mormon mother of five, believed the exhibit reinforced that America has a direct line to God. She saw Trump's presidency as divinely appointed, stating, 'God doesn't work only through perfect people. Bright lights cast big shadows.'
PragerU's Role
The trucks are powered by PragerU, a rightwing education non-profit that is not a university. PragerU produces videos promoting aggressive capitalism and Judeo-Christian nationalism, targeting young Americans. Its materials have been approved for use in public schools in a dozen states. The Trump administration contracted PragerU to curate the roadshow, drawing on advice from Hillsdale College, known for revisionist Christian history.
Inside the truck, slavery is mentioned but downplayed as a wrinkle that was ironed out. Native Americans are barely referenced, with a cherry-picked quote from the Northwest Ordinance that ignores broken promises. The omission of Spanish-speaking heritage is notable in Maricopa County, where one-third of the population is Hispanic.
Criticism and Concerns
Historian Tiya Miles called the exhibit 'more like a fantasy truck than a freedom truck,' arguing that a false positive portrayal devoid of context will not serve young Americans. She proposed a theme of 'American goodness' rooted in flawed but inspiring founding documents and the struggles for justice.
The Freedom Trucks are part of Trump's broader 'Freedom 250' initiative, which has raised questions about funding from corporations like Palantir and Oracle, and the mixing of public and private interests. Democratic lawmakers have complained that federal funds are being used for 'Christian nationalism on the taxpayer dime.'
