Trump honors Theodore Roosevelt in North Dakota, debuts new Air Force One

MEDORA, North Dakota — President Donald Trump on Wednesday dedicated a museum honoring Theodore Roosevelt, using the occasion to highlight the former president’s legacy while drawing parallels to his own vision for the United States ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The visit to remote western North Dakota also marked the unveiling of a refurbished Boeing 747, gifted by Qatar, which is set to serve as Air Force One. Trump additionally took a ride through the Badlands aboard a “Freedom 250” train decorated with red, white, and blue bunting and marked with the years 1776–2026.

The events come as Trump continues to promote patriotic celebrations leading up to Independence Day, at a time when the country remains politically divided over his leadership. Voters are also weighing concerns about the rising cost of living and the ongoing conflict with Iran ahead of the November midterm elections.

Speaking at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, Trump praised Roosevelt’s energetic leadership and adventurous spirit, while also contrasting him with his political opponents.

“Roosevelt’s chest swelled with pride at American optimism and confidence. The biggest word I think for him was pride. He was a proud man. But I’m a proud man. I’m proud of our country,” Trump said.

He also criticized Democrats, including democratic socialists who have recently won primary elections in states such as New York and Colorado.

“We’re not going to let communists get in our way,” Trump said. “It’s a very unattractive lot.”

Trump’s motorcade to the library was accompanied by horseback riders dressed as Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders,” the volunteer cavalry unit Roosevelt led during the 1898 Spanish-American War battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba.

Roosevelt, a New York native, served as U.S. president from 1901 to 1909 and was known as a rugged conservationist and expansionist leader. Trump has frequently expressed admiration for Roosevelt’s legacy, particularly his role in expanding American influence, including support tied to the construction of the Panama Canal.

Following the deaths of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884, Roosevelt spent time in North Dakota’s Badlands to recover, a period widely seen as formative in his personal and political life.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, set to open on Saturday, spans 96,000 square feet (8,919 square meters) and overlooks the national park named in Roosevelt’s honor. The surrounding Badlands region is noted for its dramatic rock formations and its influence on Roosevelt’s conservation philosophy.

First Flight

Before departing Washington on Wednesday morning, Trump expressed excitement about the inaugural flight of the newly refurbished Air Force One, which features a red, white, dark blue, and gold paint scheme he personally selected.

The aircraft has drawn scrutiny over its cost and the speed of its refurbishment, as well as the acceptance of a luxury jumbo jet from a foreign government. Trump has dismissed criticism, while the U.S. Air Force has stated that the aircraft meets presidential security standards.

Responding to questions about taxpayer expense, Trump said the gifted aircraft cost “very little relative to what it would cost if we did it a different way.”

“We’re very proud of this, the country is very proud of it,” Trump said, adding that the previous Air Force One “didn’t look appropriate for our country.”

“They made it appropriate for a president, that means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on, very complex stuff,” he added. -Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Bo Erickson and Idrees Ali; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Cynthia Osterman and Chizu Nomiyama/Reuters