USA celebrate 250th Independence Day – heat and storms disrupt anniversary celebrations in Washington

The president, however, faces massive domestic political pressure. Above all, many people in the country take issue with the Iran war; his approval ratings have long been low. In the past, US presidents have generally steered clear of politics during Independence Day celebrations. Trump, however, has been accused of increasingly blurring the line between official commemoration and campaigning.

Trump billed his appearance on the partially closed-off National Mall as "the most spectacular Trump rally of them all." He posted on his platform Truth Social that he would deliver his speech no matter what. He wanted to "give a really long speech, just to show that I can handle anything." He later wrote there: "Thunderstorms bring luck. They make events a little more exciting, too."

Trump's appearance and accusations of campaigning

The "Great American State Fair" on the National Mall – the grassy area between the Capitol and the Washington Monument – had been planned by the Trump administration and was evacuated on Saturday evening (local time) due to a storm warning. People had been asked to seek shelter in nearby buildings. Organizers urged guests to take cover in surrounding museums, government departments, and other public buildings.

Thousands of visitors had to temporarily leave the festival grounds. A major parade planned for the morning in Washington had already been cancelled. Events in other cities along the East Coast were also postponed or cancelled. In the eastern US, extreme heat with temperatures above 40 degrees caused disruptions; Washington had been sweltering for days in scorching heat around 40 degrees.

Heat wave and first cancellations

The evacuation was in part chaotic. People streamed through the streets near the White House and the National Mall. Others rushed through the entrances chanting "Trump, Trump," while still others tried to shelter from lightning. Some attendees refused to leave the cordoned-off area during the evacuation. According to police, no violent incidents were reported.

A large fireworks display and a speech by US President Donald Trump were expected on Saturday evening (local time). His appearance was originally scheduled for 9:45 p.m. US Eastern Time (3:45 a.m. CEST), then pushed back to 11 p.m. (5 a.m. German time). After roughly two hours, people were allowed back onto the grounds; later, loudspeakers instructed them to gather in front of a stage on the National Mall.

Storm interrupts the celebration on the National Mall

The event on the National Mall was to feature concerts as well as a speech by US President Donald Trump. Tens of thousands of people had gathered there, despite temperatures of up to 39 degrees, to watch a flight show with fighter jets and then hear Trump's speech. Whether the speech could take place was uncertain for a time.

Vice President Vance, meanwhile, pushed back against criticism of the United States. In a speech at the New York harbor, he accused critics of misunderstanding the nature of America. At the same time, he called on citizens to reject a – quote – "two-dimensional view" of their country. Many Americans are weary of war, while the US government invokes a warrior ethos.

Parade in New York and masked extremists

A windjammer parade took place in the New York harbor. Ahead of "Sail250," a New York Fire Department ship sent up water fountains. Jets flew over the Statue of Liberty during the ship parade in New York harbor. Among the visitors in Washington were hundreds of supporters of the far-right organization "Patriot Front," who arrived in the city by subway. As images showed, the group's members were mostly masked with white cloths. As part of the celebrations, dozens of masked supporters of this far-right group marched. Police stressed the right to freedom of expression and did not intervene.

Fireworks are also planned in Chicago and New York. The multi-week anniversary program includes religious events featuring predominantly conservative Christian speakers as well as sporting events, including combat-sports competitions on the grounds of the White House to mark Trump's 80th birthday. Critics accuse the organizers of using so-called "Freedom Trucks" to spread an excessively religious version of US history and to gloss over topics such as slavery and racial injustice.

Criticism of the anniversary program

The "Great American State Fair" was temporarily shut down after several people collapsed. The record heat had already led to the cancellation of several parades and other events in the region. A number of events had to be cancelled due to a heat wave. A storm warning had been issued for the evening, after extreme heat with temperatures of up to around 40 degrees.

The National Mall was evacuated due to a storm warning; people sought shelter in nearby buildings. Even after the storm, the program continued. This report was broadcast on 05.07.2026 on Deutschlandfunk.

Trump reiterated that he wanted to deliver his speech under any circumstances. He would "give a really long speech, just to show that I can handle anything." His appearance was originally scheduled for 9:45 p.m. US Eastern Time; it is currently scheduled for 11 p.m. (5 a.m. German time). Whether the speech can take place is currently uncertain.