President Donald Trump on Tuesday spoke at the Heritage Foundation’s annual President’s Club meeting and credited the Founding Fathers for understanding that freedom doesn’t come from government.
Trump echoed previous comments he has made, such as in June when he declared, "In America, we don’t worship government, we worship God." He credited the Heritage Foundation for understanding this.
"You understand that human progress must be built upon a firm foundation of timeless truths," Trump told the Heritage crowd. "These truths are immortalized in our founding documents, and the most important truth our Founders understood was this: Freedom is not a gift from government; freedom is a gift from God."
"And that is why we are here tonight, to rededicate ourselves to the defense of our God-given rights," he added. "We are here to ensure that we defend this legacy from any threat, foreign or domestic."
Trump also said understanding these ideas is key to valuing America.
"Everyone here understands a core truth, that for America to have confidence in our future we must have pride in our history," he said. "As Americans, we have inherited a special legacy of freedom, culture, laws, traditions, and values."
He pointed to the identity of his hosts to highlight these ideas.
"Your organization is named the Heritage Foundation because you understand that our glorious heritage is the foundation for everything we hope to achieve."