President Donald Trump celebrated recent victories with a large crowd on the Iowa State Fairgrounds last night.
“There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago when Congress passed the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ to make America great again,” Trump said, to cheers.
Trump described his second term as president as “much more consequential” than his first, driven by the domestic agenda outlined in the legislature he intends to sign today.”With all of the things we did, with the tax cuts and the military, not one Democrat voted for us and I think we use it in the campaign that’s coming up, the midterms,” Trump said, “because we’ve got to beat them.”
Trump began his speech by reminiscing about past Iowa victories in the 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns and praising Iowans for being loyal. “Now, we’re back where it all started to celebrate five months of incredible success for our nation and wish Iowans and all Americans a very happy 4th of July,” Trump said, to cheers.
Trump, who spoke for over an hour, said his top aides are “working on legislation” that would let farmers vouch for employees who entered the country illegally. “We figured it out and we have some great stuff being written,” Trump said, “and let the farmers be responsible.”
According to Trump, U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins told him farmers are “losing a lot of workers” as his administration pursues its aggressive deportation effort. “Farmers, look, they know better. They work with them for years. You had cases where, not here, but just even over the years where people have worked for a farm, on a farm for 14, 15 years and they get thrown out pretty viciously and we can’t do it,” Trump said. “We’ve got to work with the farmers and people that have hotels and leisure properties, too…and we’re going to put in you in charge. We’re going to make you responsible and I think that’s going to make a lot of people happy.”
Trump’s appearance on the Iowa State Fairgrounds was the kick-off event for America 250, the commission planning a series of celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence. Trump announced last night there will be “Patriot Games” leading up to July 4, 2026.
“It features top high school athletes from all 50 states,” Trump said. “It’s going to be great and this phenomenal patriotic sporting event will be nationally televised and it will be led by our great Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.”
And Trump told the crowd he’s been talking with Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White about hosting mixed martial arts events on the White House lawn. “We have a lot of land there. We’re going to build a little — we’re not. Dana’s going to do it. Dana’s great — one of a kind. We’re going to have a UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 or 25,000 people and we’re going to do that as part of 250 as well,” Trump said. “We’re going to have some incredible events — some professional events, some amateur events, but the UFC fight’s going to be a big deal, too.”
Trump also announced he has signed an executive order to raise national park fees for anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, to raise money for events at every national park to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.