Thunderstorms Delay July 4 Events on National Mall

Thunderstorms prompted officials to order thousands of spectators off the National Mall during July 4 events marking the nation’s 250th anniversary of independence. Crowds sheltered in nearby museums and government buildings for several hours before returning to an open field near the Washington Monument.

and Attendance President Donald

Trump addressed the crowd after the delay and described the milestone as “one of the most joyous and glorious” in the nation’s history. He paid tribute to veterans and highlighted U.S. military actions, including a claim that the United States had “wiped out” Iran’s military.

He also promoted the SAVE America Act, which would require voter ID and proof of citizenship, and renewed criticism of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. The Trump administration’s Freedom 250 group organized a “Great American State Fair” on a fenced section of the 2.4-kilometre National Mall.

The fair featured a Ferris wheel, displays by conservative groups and defence contractors, and other attractions. Several Democratic-led states declined to send delegations, and some scheduled performers withdrew, citing concerns about partisanship.

White nationalist group Patriot Front members arrived in the capital wearing the group’s outfits and traveled on Metro trains. Local police said they had received no reports of violence. Visitors waited hours at security checkpoints while temperatures reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat wave led to the cancellation of several parades and other events in the Washington area.

City moved its 30-minute Macy’s fireworks display earlier to avoid storms; the rain held off and thousands watched the show. Officials in Hartford, Connecticut, and in Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, canceled planned celebrations. Boston spectators were directed to seek shelter briefly before events resumed, and Pittsburgh adjusted its fireworks schedule.