President Trump was scheduled to deliver his Independence Day address at 9:45 p.m. Eastern Time, but due to the storm, crowds were forced to evacuate, and the speech and fireworks display were postponed. Trump finally took the stage to speak at around 11:15 p.m., receiving cheers from the crowd.
According to National Public Radio (NPR), Trump said upon taking office, “Goodnight, America. If you think this is easy, you’re wrong.” He then emphasized, “I want to thank everyone because they did the right thing. They saw the lightning. I said, ‘There’s no way I can’t be here. Even if we have to talk to someone at 4 a.m., I’ll be here. We will never be intimidated.'”
In his speech, Trump championed the “SAVE America Act,” which requires voters to present proof of citizenship when casting ballots, and reiterated that “America is a victorious nation.” He also criticized communism, vowing that the United States “will never become a communist country.” After his speech, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump watched a spectacular Independence Day fireworks display together.
The organizer, Freedom 250, launched 850,000 fireworks at ten locations around Washington, D.C., including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, the Potomac River barges, and West Potomac Park, for a total of about 40 minutes.
According to reports, people from all over the country lined up for hours to get to the National Mall, where they not only had to go through strict security checks but also endure temperatures of 102 degrees Fahrenheit. This record-breaking heat wave forced the cancellation of many celebrations. As a result, the weather turned against them, and more than 370,000 people were forced to evacuate. In the end, about 150,000 people returned to the scene to listen to Trump’s speech.
Incumbent US presidents typically avoid personally attending July 4th Independence Day celebrations, but Trump defied expectations by establishing his own event organizer, “Freedom 250,” to replace the existing nonpartisan organization. He also hosted the “Great American State Fair” across much of the 1.5-mile-long National Mall. In addition to amusement rides like a Ferris wheel, the fair featured booths for conservative groups and defense contractors. As Independence Day approached, crowds flocked to the fair, with long lines stretching for several blocks.
Frank DiGiovine, a senior official at the Smithsonian Institution, revealed that the gift shop and restaurant at the Smithsonian Institution, located next to the event venue, saw record sales ahead of Canada Day.
However, according to a joint poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos, three-quarters of Democratic supporters and half of Republicans believe that the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States have been too politicized.
