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Donald Trump kicked off America's 250th birthday celebrations with a patriotic speech at the foot of Mount Rushmore with his son Don Jr and newlywed wife Bettina in tow, hours after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce exchanged their vows in the celebrity wedding of the century.
Addressing an energized crowd he said: 'Tonight we gather on the eve of one of the most extraordinary days in the history of the world.
'Tomorrow we mark 250 years of glorious independence and 250 years of majestic American freedom. Nothing like it.'
He described the US as the 'most powerful country on Earth', adding: 'We are the freest people on earth.
'We have the most righteous and enduring Constitution on earth. We are the strongest and most powerful country on earth.
'And by the grace of God, the United States of America is the most successful, most accomplished, most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history.'
A large portion of his speech was dedicated to American identity and culture. He also warned the audience of the dangers of Communism.
After about 30 minutes he wrapped up his speech by looking towards the rest of the weekend, saying: 'Tomorrow, we reach a milestone like no other and celebrate with hearts and soaring spirits because after two and a half centuries, we know that this is not an ending, this is only the beginning of the golden age of America.'
The President was joined by the happy couple, his daughter Tiffany, and her husband, Michael Boulos, as they all touched down in South Dakota on Friday night.
Not long after they boarded the flight, Swift and Kelce were wed at an elaborate ceremony inside Madison Square Garden with comedian Adam Sandler officiating.
Trump is seen here addressing the crowd at the foot of Mount Rushmore on Friday night
Trump touched down in South Dakota on Friday night ahead of an event at Mount Rushmore
Donald Trump Jr., his wife Bettina Trump, and Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos, arrive with President Donald Trump
Air Force One is seen here performing a flyover at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on Friday night
Bettina and Tiffany in a mirror selfie along the Presidential Walk of Fame before heading for Mount Rushmore
After boarding, Bettina posted an image to Instagram showing a large cookie emblazoned with a picture of the iconic monument with Trump's likeness added on to it.
Prior to boarding, the group all shared pictures of themselves enjoying the Great American State Fair in Washington, DC.
Tiffany and Bettina even had time for a quick mirror selfie at the Presidential Walk of Fame along the West Colonnade of the White House.
The president touched down shortly after a dramatic a flyover of the famous sculpture nestled in the the Black Hills of the state.
Prior to taking the stage, Governor Larry Rhoden spoke and told the crowd that 'America was back'.
He added that Trump was carrying the US into a 'new Golden age' that included peace abroad and at home.
The trip marks Trump's triumphant return to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, exactly six years after he held a controversial pre-Fourth of July event at the monument amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former homeland security secretary Kristi Noem was then serving as South Dakota governor and embraced a hands-off approach to the virus, allowing the mass gathering to happen despite the health risks.
There were also environmental concerns.
Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Bettina Anderson wait to hear US President Donald Trump deliver remarks
The President took to the skies as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden
Not long after boarding Bettina posted an image to her Instagram showing a large cookie emblazoned with a picture of the iconic monument with Trump's likeness added
The fireworks display that year was the first since 2009, after the National Park Service stopped them due to wildfire risk.
Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately cost him reelection in 2020.
But on Friday, the President will fly into South Dakota on his new Qatari-gifted Air Force One.
The fireworks ban, reinstated during President Joe Biden's tenure, has been lifted again.
There is even a bill in Congress, introduced by Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna, to have Trump's face added to Mount Rushmore, which features Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
The event is part of the Trumpified celebration of America's 250th birthday, organized by Freedom 250, the group that Trump created by executive order last January to take control of the country's semiquincentennial festivities.
Congress had already created a bipartisan commission, dubbed America250, back in 2016 to plan the events.
Revelers are seen here at the event on Friday night
Governor Larry Rhoden is seen here addressing the crowd before Trump took to the stage
The dueling groups have caused headaches, including the mass cancellation of musicians booked to play the Great American State Fair, when the artists realized it was being organized by the more partisan entity.
The Great American State Fair has also been plagued by power outages, low attendance and extremely hot weather.
Washington, DC, reached 100 degrees Friday afternoon, with the fair postponed for several hours due to the intensity of the heat.
The Mount Rushmore event is happening amid drought conditions in the state.
Ahead of the event, state and federal agencies were going to make a go-or-no-go call on the fireworks display.
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The US Wildland Fire Service also created a fire response plan for the Mount Rushmore fireworks, Politico reported.
Trump is expected to touch back down in Washington in the early hours of Saturday morning ahead of the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall.
That event is also being threatened by extreme heat - it's supposed to reach 101 degrees in DC on Saturday.
But Trump remained undeterred.
'On July Fourth, it's going to be approximately 107 degrees out, and I'm gonna go, and I'm gonna make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,' the 80-year-old President said Wednesday during his trip to North Dakota to open the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
The President is expected to speak after sundown, around 9.45pm ET, organizers said, with the 'world's largest fireworks display' slated for 10.30pm.
That means if Trump's speech runs long, the DC fireworks show could drag into July 5.