Donald Trump visited Medora, North Dakota, on Wednesday to dedicate a $450 million library and museum honoring Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president. The event, part of the America250 celebrations, featured a refurbished Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, a short train ride on a red, white, and blue train named 'Freedom250,' and a speech in which Trump compared himself to Roosevelt.
Trump Emulates Roosevelt's Whistle-Stop Tour
Trump arrived on the 'Freedom250' train, emulating Roosevelt's whistle-stop tours from over a century ago. The train, adorned with bunting and the words 'Freedom,' 'Liberty,' and '1776-2026,' halted at a railroad crossing as a crowd chanted 'Go, Trump!' and 'USA! USA!' Trump disembarked at the same spot where Roosevelt, then 24, had stepped off a train more than 140 years earlier.
His motorcade to the library was accompanied by horseback riders dressed as Roosevelt's 'Rough Riders,' the military unit that fought in the Spanish-American War. The riders left a trail of horse manure on the road.
Trump Tours the Theodore Roosevelt Library
Trump toured the 96,000-square-foot library, which overlooks a national park named for Roosevelt. He visited a room named after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and his wife, and conversed with a digitally animated version of Roosevelt. Trump later recalled asking the hologram about the Panama Canal and the Democrats giving it away for one dollar to Panama.
Trump delivered a meandering, hour-long address at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre, despite a faulty teleprompter. He praised Roosevelt as 'a great he-man' and 'a proud man,' saying, 'I'm a proud man, I'm proud of our country.' He also announced that the National Endowment for the Humanities would award the library $750,000 to support its first year.
Comparisons and Contrasts Between Trump and Roosevelt
Trump drew parallels between himself and Roosevelt, who was 42 when he became president—the youngest in history—compared to Trump, who at 80 is the oldest. Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize, while Trump has not. Roosevelt, who preached 'the strenuous life,' might have disapproved of Trump's diet of McDonald's and Diet Cokes. Roosevelt also once said, 'Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.'
Trump largely ignored Roosevelt's conservation legacy, focusing instead on the Panama Canal. The museum records that Roosevelt busted 44 trusts and protected 230 million acres of land, but Trump and Burgum have sought to roll back protections for wildlife and public lands.
Attendees and Supporters
Among the crowd was Kathleen Katz, 60, who wore a 'Trump: Make America great again 2024' cap. She said, 'He's the best president we've had yet. His second term is going very well. We've hit a couple of bumps in the road but nothing that we can't overcome.' Chris Pawlik, 35, an army veteran, wore a t-shirt with Trump's face on Mount Rushmore. He said, 'Trump is similar to Teddy Roosevelt. It's like the big stick policy is how he sees himself as well.'
Democrats criticized the event. Congressman Brendan Boyle said, 'Donald Trump doesn't have one 10th of 1% of Teddy Roosevelt's charisma or courage. On environmental issues they were absolutely night and day. All Trump cares about is grifting and naming things for himself.'
Trump's patriotic events continue with a visit to Mount Rushmore on Friday and a 'Salute to America' celebration in Washington on Saturday.
