Washington, July 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) US President Donald Trump invoked the legacy of former President Theodore Roosevelt to call for courage, ambition and national unity as he helped dedicate the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, ahead of America's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Speaking at the library's opening and later at a public event on Wednesday (local time), Trump described Roosevelt as a leader who "embodied the heart and soul and fight and spirit of our country as much as anyone who ever lived".
The event marked the formal opening of the presidential library dedicated to the 26th US President. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum called Trump's participation "a historic moment" and said it was the first time a sitting US President had helped dedicate the library.
Trump presented the library with Theodore Roosevelt's Congressional 'Medal of Honor', which had been displayed in the Roosevelt Room at the White House.
"I'll be a little bit lonely in there without it, but I thought this would be a very -- really an appropriate place to have it," Trump said. "It's really a library; it's a museum; it's a centre, and it's a great tribute."
The President praised Roosevelt as one of the few historical figures he deeply admired.
"Today, we come to the heartland of America to pay tribute to a man who embodied the heart, soul, fight, and spirit of our country as much as anyone who ever lived -- President Theodore Roosevelt," he said.
Drawing repeatedly on Roosevelt's life, Trump said Americans should emulate his determination and resilience.
"The life of Theodore Roosevelt reminds us that Americans never give up. He never stopped, never quit, and never surrendered in pursuit of his dreams, or his pursuit of America's Destiny -- and neither will we," he said.
Trump also linked Roosevelt's ideals to his own political message ahead of next year's celebrations marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
"As we enter our 250th Year, Americans must never forget we are a historic and heroic people, with a heroic spirit, and a heroic purpose in this world," he said.
Quoting Roosevelt, Trump stressed the importance of courage.
"Theodore Roosevelt reminds us all that to be a great nation, and to be a free nation, we must have courage. As T.R. once put it, 'Freedom is not a gift that lasts long in the hands of cowards'," he said.
The President said Roosevelt rejected "failure, mediocrity, corruption, decay, or decline" and argued that America should follow the same path.
"He boldly fought for what he called a 'New Nationalism' -- putting the needs of the whole nation and all the people above partisanship, lobbyists, identity politics, and special interests," Trump said. "He knew that true patriotism demanded caring for the Worker, the Environment, and the Health, Culture, and Integrity of the nation itself."
During his remarks, Trump also touched on a range of current issues, including immigration, economic policy, the Panama Canal, Iran, military recruitment and what he described as the threat of communism. He announced that the National Endowment for the Humanities would award the library $750,000 to support its opening exhibits during the first year.
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library has been built in Medora, the North Dakota town where Roosevelt spent formative years following personal tragedy in the 1880s. Historians widely credit his experiences in the Badlands with shaping his conservation philosophy, public service and leadership style before he became the 26th President of the United States.
The library opens as the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. The milestone has been a central theme of the Trump administration's public events, with officials highlighting the country's founding ideals, historical figures and national heritage through commemorative programmes across the country.
Source: IANS
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