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| Sequoia Crosswhite said he was honoring women with his flute song. After his performance, the scene went dark and the words "Seek Shelter!" were heard, as lightning and hail moved towards the event. |
By Brenda Norrell, Censored News, July 3, 2026
MOUNT RUSHMORE, South Dakota -- Live now: Cheyenne River Lakota opens Trump's event at Mount Rushmore, using the Lakota language, says he is the descendant of chiefs.
Sequoia Crosswhite says he is there "representing" and honoring the women with this flute music.
Earlier, the Oglala Lakota Nation strongly opposed this event in the sacred Black Hills. Trump and the fireworks are planned to begin in about an hour.
The MC of Trump's fireworks event, introducing Crosswhite, said they were honoring these sacred hills, the "original stewards" and the rich legacy, by beginning with the Lakota.
After the performance, the scene went dark with this announcement: "Weather delay: Please stand by," and then, "Seek shelter now!" It was announced that severe weather, lightning and huge hail is expected.
Crosswhite received a roar of applause from the crowd, largely white with a military band, as he spoke of veterans. Crosswhite spoke at length about honoring women and also said he was honoring Jim Thorpe and others.
Lakotas responded immediately and questioned who is Sequoia Crosswhite.
Crosswhite's bio says he is an entertainer. He told the crowd he is a descendant of two chiefs, Chief War Eagle and Chief Swift Cloud.
The Oglala Lakota Tribal Council opposed the presidential visit to Mount Rushmore for this fireworks celebration in the Sacred Black Hills, for today, July 3, 2026.
"It should not occur," the Lakota Council said in its resolution, pointing out the violation of the aboriginal treaty, the Fort Laramie Treaty, and the distress Lakota already live with because of federal budget cuts.
The tribe's resolution points out the ongoing uranium mining and oil pipelines, including Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline, where sacred sites are being destroyed.
The Keystone XL Pipeline, Dewey Burdock and Craven Canyon Uranium Projects, DAPLE and the USAP Sentinel Project -- all in the territory of the Great Sioux Nation -- have destroyed Sioux sacred sites and cultural resources, the resolution states.
The Oglala Lakota Council said it opposed the event because of the violation of Winters Doctrine for the production of electricity on the Missouri River without payment to the Sioux Tribes, the resolution states.
The Winters Doctrine guarantees tribes as much water as Native Americans need to survive.
Further, the fireworks event is opposed because of the ICE actions in Minneapolis, where Lakotas were illegally arrested and imprisoned by ICE in deportation sweeps, and two U.S. citizens were murdered by ICE.
The resolution was passed unanimously by the Oglala Tribal on Pine Ridge in South Dakota on June 9, 2026, and points out the seizure of its water without compensation to the Great Nation, destruction of sacred sites and cultural resources, and suffering caused by presidential actions.
The fireworks event is sponsored by the U.S. National Park Service and State of South Dakota. The site will be closed to the public, with tickets issued beforehand in a lottery, according to the National Park Service.
South Dakota State officials said more than 100,000 people applied for tickets. The Department of Tourism said around 4,800 people were selected to attend and were chosen at random among the 102,991 people who signed up for a lottery.
The Oglala Lakota Council urged the U.S. National Park Service and U.S. National Forest Service to cancel the fireworks event because of the local drought, posing a risk of wildfires in the Black Hills, that could threaten both Lakota and local residents and their properties.
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