Gorka: My Celebrations for America’s 250th Anniversary

Celebrating Milestones and Heroes

As I arrived at the White House, a Secret Service agent knocked on my car window. He kind of unexpectedly wished me a “blessed day.” It’s strange how moments like that can stick with you.

My wife and I were at the Great American State Fair, gearing up for America’s biggest birthday celebration. There were a few National Guard soldiers who took a moment to thank us for what we do. It felt nice, I have to say.

Recently, the biggest operation since 9/11 unfolded. I watched from the Situation Room as incredibly skilled special operators carried out a successful counterterrorism mission against ISIS in Nigeria. They eliminated 199 threats, ensuring that those individuals would no longer harm Christians or Americans. It’s hard to wrap your head around the scale of that.

As we waited to celebrate President Trump’s birthday at UFC Claw on the South Lawn, someone from J6 approached me just to express their gratitude for the President, in their unique style. It’s touching, really, the countless Americans who’ve reached out over the years, asking me to relay their love and prayers for him.

There were also those cheerful construction workers I managed to sneak away to meet. They were busy installing two huge flag poles at the White House, getting everything ready for the grand display of our American flag.

We had some brave high school students from Northern Virginia visit the White House. They were excited to hear from Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt about her fascinating job. In a surprising twist, President Trump called her and asked her to hold a press conference in just 15 minutes to celebrate a recent Supreme Court victory.

During a gathering in the Oval Office, President Trump met with wounded veterans. One of them even took off his prosthetic leg to have it signed by the President, who also handed out large presidential challenge coins. There’s something special about those simple gestures; they really matter.

I remember an American hostage and my friend, presidential envoy Adam Boehler, made a trip to Kabul to secure their release from the Taliban. When we returned to Dulles, the Taliban, seeing Adam and me, remarked, “There’s only God and Trump!” It’s an odd memory, reflecting a complicated situation.

My National Security Council team consists of dedicated individuals from diverse backgrounds—intelligence, military, and law enforcement. Most of them didn’t even know me in early 2025. Together, we worked to turn the challenging policies of the Biden era into, I think, notable successes. Over a thousand jihadists were eliminated, and we managed to rescue 106 American hostages in some record time.

Ordinary Americans grew weary of the usual political figures and decided to give a businessman from New York a shot at steering the country in a new direction.

Then there’s my wife, Katie, who took the stage as a presidential appointee nine years ago. She has stood strong against numerous challenges and is now dedicated to reinstilling values and love for our communities in schools.

And let’s not forget the man fighting against all odds from the Resolve Desk. He faced threats, political trials, and relentless media scrutiny in an effort to uphold our Republic. Thank you, Mr. President.