Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Jul 1

Trump Opens Theodore Roosevelt Library as Critics Cite 100 Million Acres of Protections Lifted

Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Jul 1

Trump Opens Theodore Roosevelt Library as Critics Cite 100 Million Acres of Protections Lifted

Q: Why is the new library swapping traditional fireworks for a 1,776-drone spectacle in the Badlands?

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is replacing fireworks with a 1,776-drone show mainly because drones are safer for the Badlands, less damaging to the environment, and more consistent with the library’s conservation mission. The biggest factor is wildfire risk. Medora sits in a dry, fire-prone landscape next to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and surrounding grasslands, where sparks from fireworks could ignite prairie or brush. A drone show avoids burning debris, misfires, and falling embers, making it a far lower-risk option for a major outdoor celebration expected to draw thousands. The switch also fits the library’s environmental message. The new library was built to emphasize stewardship, sustainability, and harmony with the landscape, with features aimed at net-zero energy, water, and waste goals. Fireworks produce smoke, ash, chemical residue, and noise; drones are reusable, electrically powered, and leave no pyrotechnic litter in the Badlands. Noise is another reason. Traditional fireworks can disturb wildlife, pets, and visitors sensitive to loud blasts. A drone display is much quieter while still delivering a large-scale visual event. The 1,776-drone count also carries symbolism. It references 1776 and ties the show directly to the nation’s 250th birthday celebration and the library’s July 4 opening. In short, the drone spectacle gives organizers a patriotic centerpiece without the fire danger and environmental costs of fireworks.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 1

Donald Trump is set to attend Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, folding the stop into his Freedom 250 tour marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The visit has drawn sharp criticism because Roosevelt conserved nearly 230 million acres, while a Center for American Progress analysis says Trump has moved across two terms to lift protections from more than 100 million acres.
The latest rollback tally includes over 86 million acres identified this week, with critics saying the changes could open untouched forests to development, expand drilling in Alaska and threaten areas such as Minnesota’s Boundary Waters.
Doug Burgum’s Interior Department has also rolled back Endangered Species Act safeguards, migratory bird protections and federal water protections, while Theodore Roosevelt National Park a mile from the library faces staffing cuts.
The clash underscores a broader political contrast: Trump is celebrating a president revered for conservation even as environmental groups say his administration is dismantling that legacy.