President Trump descended on the Badlands of North Dakota on Wednesday for what amounted to a theatrical homage to Theodore Roosevelt, complete with a custom-painted train, hologram conversations, and Rough Rider reenactors. The occasion: the dedication of a $450 million library and museum honoring the 26th president in Medora, the remote region where Roosevelt once worked as a cowboy and big-game hunter in the 1880s.
The event, billed as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations, unfolded with unmistakable pageantry. Trump arrived aboard a refurbished Boeing 747, a gift from Qatar featuring red, white, dark blue, and gold paint selected by the president himself, serving as the new Air Force One. He then boarded a train painted in patriotic colors and emblazoned with words like "Freedom," "Liberty," and "1776-2026," replicating Roosevelt's famous whistle-stop campaign tours.
A crowd that had baked in the sun for three hours erupted as Trump disembarked at the same railroad crossing where Roosevelt had arrived more than 140 years earlier. His motorcade to the library was escorted by costumed riders mimicking the Rough Riders, the military unit Roosevelt led up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. The display left a notable trail of horse manure in its wake.
Inside the 96,000 square foot facility, Trump engaged with a digitally animated version of Roosevelt, quizzing the hologram about the Panama Canal and its strategic significance. He later recalled the conversation to supporters, framing it as Roosevelt lamenting that Democrats had surrendered the canal "for one dollar to Panama."
At an outdoor amphitheater with a staged western set complete with a fake railway station, telegraph office, and saloon, Trump delivered a meandering hour-long address despite a malfunctioning teleprompter. He praised Roosevelt as "a great he-man" and "a proud man," drawing parallels to his own leadership. "He didn't want to be quiet," Trump said. "He wanted to be great."
Trump announced that the National Endowment for the Humanities would provide the library with $750,000 in its first year. He also previewed plans for his own presidential library in Miami, noting he had solicited ideas from the Roosevelt project. His address touched on Lincoln and Eisenhower but dwelled principally on Roosevelt, whose presidency fell roughly halfway between the Declaration of Independence and today.
The comparisons Trump drew overlooked stark differences. Roosevelt, at 42, was the youngest president ever inaugurated. Trump, now 80, is the oldest ever elected. Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt championed conservation, having protected 230 million acres of land and busted 44 trusts during his tenure from 1901 to 1909. By contrast, Trump and the event's host, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, have moved to roll back wildlife and public land protections.
When Trump addressed Roosevelt's environmental legacy, he gave it cursory attention. "He did some incredible things," Trump said before pivoting to what he deemed Roosevelt's signature accomplishment: "He built the Panama Canal."
The spectacle attracted both supporters and critics. attendees saw the two presidents as kindred spirits animated by national pride. Chris Pawlik, an army veteran from Texas, wore a shirt bearing Mount Rushmore with Trump's face photoshopped above the legendary monument. He cited both figures' "big stick" approach to power and acknowledged Roosevelt's conservationism, though he suggested a "more long term sustainable plan" was needed for energy transitions.
Democrats were less charitable. Representative Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania issued a stark rebuke, stating that "Donald Trump doesn't have one 10th of 1% of Teddy Roosevelt's charisma or courage." He highlighted the "absolutely night and day" contrast on environmental issues.
The library's funding reflected the influence of Republican power brokers and wealthy benefactors. When Burgum was North Dakota governor in 2019, he championed the project to the state legislature, which approved a $50 million operations endowment. Private donors included oil magnate Harold Hamm, the Walton family of Walmart, hedge fund founder Kenneth Griffin, and Burgum himself.
Trump's calendar of patriotic events continues Friday with a trip to Mount Rushmore and Saturday with a "Salute to America" celebration on the National Mall featuring a 35-minute fireworks display over the Potomac.
Author James Rodriguez: "The pageantry was undeniable, but the substance tells a different story. Trump's eagerness to wrap himself in Roosevelt's legacy conveniently sidesteps the one thing Roosevelt fought hardest to preserve: America's public lands."
Comments