Washington, July 4 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) reaffirmed his commitment to protecting constitutional freedoms, telling supporters that the United States’ founding principles remained central to the nation’s identity as it prepared to celebrate 250 years of independence.
Speaking at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day, Trump said the rights guaranteed to Americans were rooted in the country’s founding and should be preserved for future generations.
“We must never forget there is no American freedom without American culture. And there is no American founding without the American people,” Trump said.
He argued that the nation’s Constitution derived its strength from the people who upheld it.
“A constitution is only as strong as the people and the culture responsible for upholding it. But as long as we remember who we are, we have to always remember who we are and what we’re all about, the United States of America will forever be the land of free men and women, and we will never ever fail,” he said.
Trump described freedom of expression, religious liberty and the right to bear arms as defining features of American democracy.
“In America, we do not need anyone’s permission to say what we think and to live as we please, to worship as we choose, or to keep and bear arms,” he said.
The President also pledged to continue defending the Second Amendment.
“For almost six years during my presidency, I’ve saved, almost single-handedly, but working with John and some other great people, we’ve saved your Second Amendment, and I will continue to do so, I promise,” Trump said.
“Our rights here given to us by the God who made us, and those rights shall not be infringed.”
Trump linked those freedoms with broader American values, saying citizens believed in personal responsibility, fairness and equal treatment under the law.
“Americans believe in self-reliance,” he said.
“We treasure justice, fairness, family, honesty and human dignity.”
He added: “We see every citizen as an individual equal under the law and equal under the eyes of the Lord.”
Trump also stressed the importance of maintaining peace while remaining prepared to confront threats.
“An American always wants peace and order, but we will never shrink from danger or threat. We will always fight, fight, fight and win, win, win,” he said.
He urged Americans to remain united in defence of the nation’s founding principles.
“You do not have to be born here, but you do have to love what we have built. You must love our country. There has never been anything like us anywhere on earth and we are not going to let anyone take that away,” Trump said.
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