EO 14189Executive OrderTrump 47 · R

Executive Order 14189

Celebrating America's 250th Birthday

In simple terms

This executive order establishes a White House task force to plan the 250th anniversary celebration of American Independence on July 4, 2026, housed in the Department of Defense. It also reinstates prior Trump-era executive orders creating the National Garden of American Heroes and protecting monuments from vandalism, reversing their revocation by EO 14029 from the Biden administration.

Record & deadlines

  1. Signed

    Signed by the President

  2. FR published

    Published in the Federal Register · 90 FR 8849

  3. Task Force 250 termination unless extended

  4. 250th anniversary of American Independence celebration

  5. Agency reports on celebration planning due to Task Force 250

Key directives

  • Establish White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday (Task Force 250)
  • President serves as Chair, Vice President as Vice Chair
  • DOD to provide funding and administrative support for Task Force 250
  • Agencies submit planning reports by March 1, 2025
  • Reinstate EO 13934 (Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes)
  • Reinstate EO 13978 (Building the National Garden of American Heroes)
  • Amend EO 13934 Section 3(c)(ii) to replace deadline with 'as expeditiously as possible'
  • Recommend additional heroes to reach total of 250 for National Garden
  • Reinstate EO 13933 (Protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues)
  • Task Force 250 terminates December 31, 2026 unless extended

Who is ordered

Prior policyRollback

  • reinstateEO 13934
  • reinstateEO 13978
  • reinstateEO 13933
  • amendEO 13934 Section 3(c)(ii)

Related orders

What to expect

Immediate

  • Task Force 250 established with President as Chair
  • EOs 13934, 13978, and 13933 reinstated
  • DOD designated to house and support Task Force 250

Near term (90d)

  • Agency reports on celebration planning due March 1, 2025
  • Assistant to President for Domestic Policy to recommend 250 heroes for National Garden

Long term

  • 250th anniversary celebration on July 4, 2026
  • Task Force terminates December 31, 2026
  • National Garden of American Heroes to proceed 'as expeditiously as possible'

Risks & tensions

  • Reinstatement of monument protection EO 13933 may intensify enforcement actions against protesters; cites specific pro-Hamas-related vandalism incidents as justification
  • Housing task force in DOD rather than domestic policy office may blur civil-military boundaries for event planning
  • Removal of specific July 4, 2026 deadline for National Garden creates open-ended timeline with uncertain funding commitment
  • Reversal of prior administration's monument policy (EO 14029) continues pattern of partisan oscillation in heritage preservation
  • Subject to availability of appropriations creates execution risk for ambitious celebration plans
Executive Order 14189: Celebrating America's 250th Birthday · Executive Orders