Ben Shapiro To Speak At Mount Vernon For YAF’s Freedom At 250 Tour

Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro will headline a major rally this summer at Mount Vernon as part of a nationwide tour celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, Young America’s Foundation (YAF) announced on Monday.

The event, scheduled for August 6, will kick off Young America’s Foundation’s 48th annual National Conservative Student Conference and marks the third stop on the “Freedom at 250” tour organized in partnership with The Daily Wire.

The year-long tour will commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding by bringing together conservative voices and student leaders across the country to highlight the founding principles of the American experiment.

Shapiro said the historic setting of George Washington’s estate offers a powerful reminder of the sacrifices that shaped the nation. “At a time when many Americans are uncertain about the country’s direction, gathering at George Washington’s Mount Vernon for our country’s 250th anniversary is a powerful reminder that this nation was forged in challenge, not comfort,” Shapiro said in a statement. “It was built by men and women who risked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to secure rights given by God and protected by the Constitution.”

Shapiro added that the milestone anniversary presents a profound moment to reflect upon the country’s future. “At pivotal moments, America has always faced a choice: decline or renewal,” he said. “Young America’s Foundation is helping ensure the next generation understands those founding principles and is prepared to defend them.”

The Mount Vernon rally will serve as the opening program for YAF’s flagship student conference, one of the largest gatherings of conservative college students in the country. Conference registration opened Monday as organizers prepare for what they expect to be the largest event in the program’s history.

Former Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, who now serves as president of Young America’s Foundation, said the event’s location was intentionally chosen to connect young conservatives with the nation’s founding ideals. “As America approaches its 250th anniversary, there is no more fitting place to gather than George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and no better person to deliver this message to young Americans than a fearless fighter like Ben Shapiro,” Walker said.

Walker added that the upcoming conference comes at a time when the country’s founding principles are increasingly being scrutinized. “At a time when our founding principles are under pressure and the direction of our country is being fiercely debated, it has never been more important for YAF to shape the next generation in the spirit of Washington and the other Founding Fathers,” he said.

The rally will be hosted by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the private nonprofit organization that has owned and preserved Washington’s estate since the 19th century.

Young America’s Foundation’s National Conservative Student Conference, now entering its 48th year, regularly brings together leading conservative activists, policymakers, and media figures to engage students on issues ranging from constitutional government and free speech to culture and public policy.

This year’s conference will take place August 6–8 in Washington, D.C., with Shapiro’s Mount Vernon address launching the three-day event as part of the broader “Freedom at 250” tour celebrating America’s founding and the principles of 1776. Registration opened Monday, March 9.