The White House marked Thomas Jefferson’s birthday with a presidential message hailing him as a visionary author of the Declaration of Independence.
Issued Monday under the America 250 initiative and dated April 13, 2026, the statement portrays Jefferson as one of history’s greatest champions of liberty.
Jefferson, born in 1743, displayed an extraordinary intellect from a young age, studying mathematics, politics, and literature at the College of William and Mary. He apprenticed in law under George Wythe, a prominent Virginia lawyer, and established himself as a respected legal scholar.
His public service began in 1769 with election to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he advocated for colonial independence. Jefferson’s writings and patriotism led to his appointment as Virginia’s delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
There, he drafted the Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, a document the message describes as the transcendent charter of human liberty that reshaped American history.
Jefferson later authored the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which served as a foundation for the First Amendment. He held roles as Virginia governor, minister to France, secretary of state, and vice president before becoming the nation’s third president.
As president, Jefferson secured the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the country’s size and opening frontiers for exploration and opportunity.
After leaving office, he retired to his Monticello estate in Virginia and founded the University of Virginia to prepare future generations to safeguard freedom.
Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, marking the 50th anniversary of independence. The message honors his contributions on what would have been his 283rd birthday and pledges to keep America a beacon of freedom, rule of law, and sovereignty.
