Ahead of a Thursday Town Hall meeting in Iowa, Donald Trump announced his “Salute to America 250” proposal, a “One-Year Celebration of 250 Years of American Independence” that would be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

#AGENDA47: President Trump Announces “Salute to America 250” – A One-Year Celebration of 250 Years of American Independence at the Iowa State Fairgrounds pic.twitter.com/Hc7ADhiZFz

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) May 31, 2023

In a video message, Trump said:

Three years from now, the United States will celebrate the biggest and most important milestone in our country’s history — 250 years of American Independence. What a great country. We have to keep it that way. But that’s why as a nation, we should be preparing for the most spectacular birthday party. We want to make it the best of all time. Here is my plan to give America’s founding in 1776 the incredible anniversary it truly deserves.

My hope is that the amazing people of IOWA will work with my administration to open up the legendary Iowa state fairgrounds to host the Great American State Fair and welcome millions and millions of visitors from around the world to the heartland of America for this special one-time festival.

Together we will build it, and they will come.

Obviously, both the state fair and “Field of Dreams” are very popular in Iowa, and hosting a Great American State Fair would be a huge economic benefit to the state, so the plan and the timing of the proposal announcement are not a mistake.

Trump gave further detail on his plans in the video, saying he would:

• On Day One, convene a White House task force called “Salute to America 250,” responsible for coordinating with state and local governments to ensure an entire year of festivities across the country from Memorial Day 2025 to July 4th, 2026.
• Work with all 50 governors to create the Great American State Fair, a unique one-year exhibition featuring pavilions from all fifty states.
• “My hope is that the amazing people of IOWA will work with my administration to open up the legendary Iowa state fairgrounds to host the Great American State Fair and welcome millions and millions of visitors from around the world to the heartland of America for this special one-time festival.”
• Host major sporting contests for high school athletes to allow young Americans from every state to show off the best of American skill, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit.
• Sign an Executive Order on Day One to bring back the National Garden of American Heroes and commission artists for the first 100 statues to populate the new park.
• Invite the leaders and citizens of nations around the world to visit the United States in honor of the 250th anniversary.
• Ask America’s great religious communities to pray for our nation and our people as we prepare for this momentous occasion.
• Ask Americans to come together and rededicate ourselves as one nation under God as we chart a course toward the next 250 years of American history.

Trump closed the video with a reference to the role faith and religion have played in American life.

From the very beginning, America has been a country sustained and strengthened by prayer and by our communities of faith. As we chart a course toward the next 250 years, let us come together and rededicate ourselves as one nation under God.

The announcement and a full transcript of the video can be found here.