WATCH: Secretaries Burgum and Rollins on American Pride and the Great American State Fair - 06/24/26

Good evening America. Are you ready for a celebration? What do you think about this marine band that's been playing so far? Aren't they fantastic? Let's give it up for them. Who is excited to celebrate 250 years of the greatest country in the history of the world? Well, welcome everyone. My name is Brooke Rollins. I have the honor of a lifetime to be your Secretary of Agriculture. And I know I speak for our great Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, when I say what an incredible honor it is to welcome you to this, the official kickoff of the great American State Fair. Welcome everyone. Americans from every corner of our country have gathered here tonight. From the wheat fields of Kansas to the deserts of Arizona, from the Gulf Coast of New England, from Alaska to Hawaii, and everywhere in between, America is here. And there could be no more fitting place to celebrate our nation's 250th birthday than right now, right here at the great American State Fair. Over the next 16 days, right here on the National Mall, Americans will experience something unlike any other country has seen in generations. That is a modern-day World's Fair, a celebration of the people, the traditions, the innovations, and the spirit that have made America the greatest nation on earth. More than 150 exhibits from the nation's states and territories will be on display. You'll enjoy music and movies and cultural performances and agricultural exhibits, family attractions, spectacular flyovers, and one of the most iconic sights in Washington this summer, a giant Ferris wheel rising above the National Mall. Over two centuries ago, state fairs began as harvest time agricultural showcases that helped promote American-made products as the nation grew more economically independent from Great Britain. Restricted trade surrounding the War of 1812 inspired rural New Englanders to exhibit their livestock, to exhibit their produce, and handicrafts and lively competitions spotlighting the best of Republican localism and agrarian self-governance, the very best of America. And for the next two weeks, the very best of America is gathered right here in Washington, D.C. Every state has a story to tell. Every state has heroes to honor. Every state has traditions worth celebrating. But most importantly, every state is part of one family, one people, and one nation under God. Tonight, tomorrow, and for the next two weeks, we will be celebrating all of our states. We celebrate our communities. And above all, we celebrate the ties that bind us together as the United States of America. Doug, you have had a front row seat to so much of the incredible Freedom 250 celebrations taking place across this great country. Tell us a little bit about what America has in store over the coming weeks and months. Well, thank you, Brooke, and what an amazing Secretary of Agriculture we have. Best ever right here. Thank you, Brooke, for you and your team, everything you've done to make this fair possible. Incredible. Great work. But, Brooke, what strikes me is the sheer scale of what we're celebrating across our entire nation and how we're celebrating. For a quarter of a millennia, 250 years, we've been building, exploring, inventing, farming, ranching, serving, but most of all, dreaming big and daring greatly. And this year, we're celebrating that story in some of the most treasured places in our nation, including right here on the National Mall, an iconic spot that the National Park Service has stewarded for generations. We kicked off our 250th celebration right here with an incredible light show like we've never seen before, illuminating the Washington Monument on all four sides in an emotional retelling of the amazing history of America. We've got Freedom trucks that are driving across our country, bringing mobile museums to small towns and cities across the United States. And in just a few days, President Trump will join Americans from across the country in my home state, in North Dakota, in the Badlands, for the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library at the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It was in those rugged hills and those open prairies that a young Teddy Roosevelt discovered something profound about himself and about our country. As he reshaped himself from a sickly young child to a strong, rough-and-tumble cowboy, the Rough Rider, becoming the only president to ever win the Medal of Honor in military service, he understood that Americans are capable of extraordinary things when they fuse to settle and they choose to dare greatly. That is the spirit that built America. It's the spirit that carved homes out of the wilderness, built towering cities, won wars to defend our freedoms and the freedoms of this world, and carried our nation from 13 little colonies to the greatest republic in the history of the world. And that story continues across our country, and it's told at all of our national park facilities, but especially at places like Mount Rushmore, where four great presidents look out across the American landscape, where fireworks will again light up the sky on the eve of our 250th anniversary. And here in Washington, we're making D.C. safe and beautiful, revitalizing this capital city to reflect the greatness of the American people. President Trump, with his leadership, has said we want to make our capital, not only if it's the greatest country in the world, that this ought to be the most beautiful and the most safe capital in the world, and we're doing that under his leadership. We're restoring monuments, improving public spaces, bringing fountains back to life, and preparing America's front yard to welcome visitors from across the nation and around the world. And because the capital of the greatest republic in human history, it should be worthy of you, the people that are represented here. And in just a few days, Americans will gather right here once again for an unforgettable Fourth of July celebration, including the biggest and grandest display our nation and the world has ever seen. From coast to coast, Americans are coming together to celebrate 250 years of freedom, and that's what makes this such an incredible moment. Well, really, that's exactly right, Doug Burgum. How about a big round of applause for our great Secretary of the Interior? And you're right, Doug, when you walk around Washington, D.C., not only is it safe again, but it is beautiful again. Thank you, President Trump, and thank you, Secretary Burgum. For all our differences, there are still some things that unite, or at least should unite, every American. A love of country, pride in our heritage, gratitude for those who came before us, and especially those who gave it all and died for the freedom that has made tonight possible. God bless all of our veterans, our soldiers, and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this 250th year of freedom in the United States of America. USA, we have a determination to leave this nation stronger for our children and our grandchildren. Yes, that's the American story, and it's still being written. And as Brooke gave a shout-out to our incredible military, I want to give a shout-out to an amazing group founded in 1791 by George Washington himself, the group that has the law enforcement responsibility for these monuments, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Recreation Area, none other than our very own United States Park Police. They're here tonight. They're keeping you safe. Let's give it up for all those U.S. Park Police, all the Secret Service that are here tonight, all of our law enforcement. For 250 years, Americans have crossed oceans, settled frontiers, built communities, raised families, defended liberty, and through innovation, not regulation, through innovation, they've created enormous prosperity, making us the most abundant and richest country in the world. And now, now, today, next week, July 4th, 2026, it falls to us to carry that story forward. America is a vast, a beautiful, and abundant country, but it's up to all of us to preserve this great inheritance, to strengthen it, to celebrate it, and to pass it on by the grace of Almighty God. As we close, we want to again share our gratitude with all of you that are here and all you that are watching, because if you're here tonight, it means one thing. It means that you care about this country, you care about its future, you care about your children and your children's children, and you care about the fact that we have things to celebrate in each of our 50 states, in each of our amazing six territories. So if you're here in person, enjoy the American State Fair. If you are not here, you've got 16 days to get here to see this incredible, amazing celebration of America. So join us as we honor these 250 years of American greatness, and with your help, we begin writing the next chapter of the great American story. That's right. God bless you. God bless our President Donald J. Trump, and God bless these, the United States of America. Thank you, everybody. God bless you. Thank you. Thank you, and happy 250, America!