Trump to start July 4th weekend at Mount Rushmore celebration amid coronavirus surge

Visitors at Mount Rushmore
(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

President Trump will start the three-day Independence Day weekend at Mount Rushmore, where 7,500 people are expected to attend a fireworks display Friday, The Associated Press reports. South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem (R), a Trump ally, said masks will be optional at the event, and social distancing won't be required. That prompted objections from local officials, including the Republican mayor of nearby Rapid City, Steve Allender.

Leaders of several Native American tribes in the region also warned the event could result in a coronavirus spike among their members. "The president is putting our tribal members at risk to stage a photo op at one of our most sacred sites," said Harold Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

In many states, leaders are encouraging residents to limit their July 4 celebrations to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.

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Harold Maass

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at TheWeek.com. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 launch of the U.S. print edition. Harold has worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, Fox News, and ABC News. For several years, he wrote a daily round-up of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and two sons.