Trump Delivers July 4 Speech on Mall Before Fireworks

President Trump addressed spectators on the Mall on July 4, describing the United States as the hope, the promise, the light, and the glory among all nations. He stated that America will never be a communist country and called communism a loser. The president compared communism to a cancer that must be removed quickly and urged Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require photo identification to vote and proof of citizenship to register.

Trump said U.S. service members had fought communism abroad and would not allow it to return domestically. He urged immediate action to stop the threat. The president also called on lawmakers to enact the voting requirements in the SAVE America Act.

Severe weather forced organizers to evacuate the Mall shortly after 7 p.m., delaying the speech by one hour and 45 minutes. Some spectators refused to leave and booed the evacuation order, while others rushed back through security checkpoints chanting U-S-A, open the gates. Trump joked that he would have delivered the speech at 4 a.m. if necessary, saying the date could not be moved.

The remarks concluded shortly before midnight and were followed by a fireworks display that launched more than 800,000 shells from the Potomac River and other sites. The display continued into July 5 and featured military musicians playing selections from six decades of popular music.

Several members of the president’s cabinet, first lady Melania Trump, and other family members remained on site to watch the fireworks.