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US President Donald Trump’s plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence with a rally on the National Mall were complicated by severe storms near Washington on Saturday, forcing organizers to order an evacuation.
“Freedom 250 will provide updates on the program and when doors will reopen,” Freedom 250 spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez said in a statement, encouraging participants to seek shelter in museums and federal buildings near the National Mall.
The Washington subway system also said several of its subway stations were available as shelters.
As the evacuation order sounded over loudspeakers on the National Mall, some people appeared to be standing in place, talking to those around them and not leaving the area, while others headed toward the exits. National Guard troops urged people to leave.
The U.S. Secret Service said it had temporarily closed checkpoints to screen attendees ahead of Trump’s speech, which was scheduled to begin around 10 p.m. ET.
Despite the order, Trump said he would still give his speech.
“I won’t let a little rain stop our 250th anniversary,” Trump said in a social media post.
The National Mall is an exposed park, although museums and other buildings are located near the open lawn.
Crowds formed in the area several hours before Trump’s speech. Tina Hale, 58, of Cohoes, N.Y., watched three of her grandchildren dip their hands into a pool of water near a museum. Hale pointed to the sky and told them to look up as three military jets roared above the crowd.
The National Mall is an exposed park, although museums and other buildings are located near the open lawn.
Crowds formed in the area several hours before Trump’s speech. Tina Hale, 58, of Cohoes, NY, watched three of her grandchildren dip their hands in a pool of water near a museum. Hale pointed to the sky and told them to look up as three military jets roared above the crowd.
“If that doesn’t make you proud to be an American,” she said.
David Koshko, 42, and his wife Jennifer Koskho of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, came to Washington for a baseball game but wanted to stay in town for the fireworks. After sweltering in the heat for hours in their victory over the Washington Nationals, the Pittsburgh Pirates took a break in the shadow of an overpass near the National Mall to plan their next stop.
“Just being a part of the 250th anniversary is an amazing thing,” said David Koshko, a professional driver and Marine Corps Reserve veteran.
Political divide
Fourth of July celebrations across the U.S. come against the backdrop of a deep divide this election year that has been widening for years, evident in everything from political expression to cultural norms to age-old questions about race, class and immigration.
On Friday at Mount Rushmore, Trump spoke of communism as a “deadly threat to American freedom,” with the Republican president saying it was more dangerous than the World War or 9/11.
Without mentioning Trump by name, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who is also a democratic socialist and recently supported several successful congressional candidates in their primaries, appeared to refer to the president during a speech Friday.
“These ideals that our nation is built on – they are strong enough to withstand any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them,” he said.
Vice President JD Vance said small but loud voices would speak about its imperfections rather than its greatness on America’s birthday.
“They will tell you that America is just another country where the weak fight the strong,” Vance said Saturday aboard the USS Kearsarge in New York Harbor.
