Donald Trump delivered a July 4 speech at the National Mall on Saturday evening after severe storms forced a temporary evacuation of the site and delayed the Salute to America celebration marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Organizers ordered attendees to leave the National Mall shortly after 7 p.m. ET as thunderstorms approached Washington, with signs at the Great American State Fair posting an alert encouraging participants to seek shelter in nearby federal buildings and museums.
Trump’s remarks had been scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET, according to reporting from the New York Post, People magazine, and USA Today. The president had vowed earlier in the week to deliver a lengthy speech despite extreme heat forecasts that predicted temperatures near 107 degrees.
The evacuation affected thousands of attendees gathered on the National Mall. According to NBC News, the U.S. Secret Service temporarily closed security checkpoints as the severe weather moved through the area. National Guard troops directed people to leave as the evacuation order was announced over loudspeakers.
The Washington Post reported that despite Trump’s considerable power, he could not control the dangerous weather that threatened the milestone celebration. The severe storms that disrupted the National Mall event also prompted cancellations and delays at Independence Day celebrations across the East Coast, with Hartford, Connecticut, and several Pennsylvania cities canceling their events entirely.
After the storms passed, crowds returned to the National Mall for Trump’s speech. According to NBC News, attendees danced in the streets as they waited for the site to reopen. The National Mall reopened following the weather delay, allowing the president to proceed with his remarks honoring America’s 250th birthday.
The disruption underscored the challenges of hosting a major outdoor event during a dangerous heat wave. Organizers had shifted the timing of Trump’s speech to later in the evening when temperatures would be cooler, according to reporting from USA Today and Axios. The late-night schedule also affected the timing of the fireworks display, which was pushed to approximately 10:30 p.m.
Sources
- Associated Press — evacuation of National Mall, shelter locations, Secret Service checkpoint closures, cancellations in other cities
- NBC News — thousands sheltering in buildings, National Mall reopening, attendees returning
- New York Post — Trump’s speech scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET
- USA Today — Trump’s speech scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET, late-night timing to accommodate heat
- Washington Post — severe storms disrupted the event, Trump could not control the weather
- Axios — late-night speech timing, fireworks rescheduled to 10:30 p.m.
- People magazine — Trump’s speech scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET, fireworks at 10:30 p.m.
