With thunderstorms rolling over the National Mall and a milestone birthday on the calendar, US President Donald Trump cast America’s 250th anniversary as a triumph without rival — then quickly turned the celebration into a familiar political battlefield, renewing his attacks on domestic opponents he branded communists.
The address — postponed for several hours after storms prompted authorities to temporarily clear the crowd in Washington — gave Mr Trump a primetime stage on one of the country’s most symbolic days. He insisted that, under his presidency, the United States was “prouder than ever before.”
Mr Trump had promised a massive political rally that would stamp his brand on the national festivities. Yet the 80-year-old Republican, speaking to tens of thousands gathered on the National Mall, mostly kept to a more traditionally patriotic tone.
“For two-and-a-half centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history,” Mr Trump told tens of thousands of people on the National Mall.
But he then pointed to the latter two as proof of an ongoing struggle against “communists,” echoing the message he delivered on Friday night at the iconic Mount Rushmore monument.
“Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the word, only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America. We’re not going to let it happen,” he said.
Donald Trump’s speech was delayed by several hours due to storms
A huge fireworks display began after the speech
In recent days, President Trump has returned repeatedly to that theme as the country heads toward November’s US midterm elections, after the anti-establishment left of the Democratic Party notched a series of primary victories.
“It’s like a cancer, you’ve got to cut it out,” he added.
The US leader also used the moment to tout recent military campaigns against Iran and Venezuela, saying Washington had “wiped out” Tehran’s military.
Even so, the remarks were brief by Mr Trump’s standards, lasting about 45 minutes.
“We love Trump, we loved his speech,” said Richard Sullivan, 70, who travelled to the event from Virginia with his wife Nancy.
“He went through our great history and had a word for the veterans that were here. He makes us proud to be American,” he added.
A huge fireworks display began after the speech, which Mr Trump said will set a record as the world’s largest.
Across the eastern United States, Americans endured a punishing heatwave to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain in 1776 — a day of parades, cookouts and fireworks, shaped this year as much by weather as by tradition.
Temperatures soared to a record 39.4C in the capital – an all-time high for 4 July – with 160 million Americans under extreme weather warnings, according to the National Weather Service.
Bad weather also disrupted plans elsewhere: in New York, fireworks were moved earlier, while evacuations were reported at a concert in Philadelphia and at a celebration on the Charles River in Boston.
A passenger looks on as members of Patriot Front ride the Washington Metro
In Washington, the elements directly upended Mr Trump’s appearance. Hours before his address, tens of thousands were ordered off the National Mall as thunderstorms approached.
Officials later let people back onto an open field near the Washington Monument, after the weather-related evacuation sent spectators to nearby museums and government buildings for several hours of shelter.
As many attendees streamed toward the exits, confusion and confrontation erupted when others refused to leave or tried to push back in. AFP reporters said they heard shouts of “charge” alongside chants of “Trump, Trump.”
Mr Trump, however, insisted he would go on, telling Fox News that if D-Day veterans in World War II could face rough conditions, then he could too.
“Experiencing a little heat is a lot less than what a lot of people sacrifice to give us this freedom in this awesome country,” said Randy Cole, 62, a retired civil servant attending festivities in Washington.
Still, Mr Trump’s determination to place himself — and his political identity — at the centre of the 250th anniversary underscored the divisions that have marked his second term in office.
Those tensions surfaced near Washington’s Capitol Hill, where masked men gathered — some carrying Confederate flags, others wearing logos associated with the white supremacist Patriot Front.
Patriot Front said on social media that it had arrived in the capital, and hundreds of people in the group’s outfits travelled into the city on Metro trains serving the District of Columbia region.
Local police said they had not received any reports of violence.
Freedom 250 says the fair aims to showcase what makes the US ‘the greatest nation on Earth’
Traditionally, US presidents have often kept their distance from in-person Fourth of July festivities, wary of turning civic commemoration into personal politics. Mr Trump, by contrast, has repeatedly blurred that boundary, folding official celebration into campaign-style spectacle.
The Trump administration’s Freedom 250 group has largely pushed aside a nonpartisan body established in 2016 to oversee the 250th anniversary. It has also fenced off much of the 2.4km National Mall to stage a Great American State Fair — with attractions including a Ferris wheel, displays by conservative groups and exhibits from defence contractors.
Freedom 250 says the fair aims to showcase the people and innovations that make the US “the greatest nation on Earth”.
Several Democratic-led states declined to send delegations, and a number of performers pulled out of scheduled appearances, pointing to concerns about partisanship.
Beyond the fairgrounds, other Freedom 250-branded events include a faith rally featuring mostly conservative Christian speakers, along with multiple sports events — among them a card of mixed martial arts bouts held on the White House grounds for Mr Trump’s 80th birthday on 14 June.
An Indy Car race in Washington is scheduled for August.
The Freedom 250 organisation also sponsored “Freedom Trucks,” which critics argue promote an overly religious version of American history and downplay issues such as slavery and racial injustice.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans — including three-quarters of Democrats and half of Republicans — believe the events marking the country’s 250th anniversary have become too political.
Mr Trump has also moved to reshape large parts of Washington ahead of the anniversary, efforts that have produced a mix of visible upgrades and high-profile frustrations.
Many fountains and statues have been refurbished, but a widely promoted $15 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool has run into problems.
Security cameras and soldiers now stand watch over peeling paint and algae-choked water.
For many Americans, the 250th anniversary is not only a party but a pause — a chance to measure the country’s promises against its present.
A Quinnipiac University Poll showed 61% of Americans thought the US was not living up to the ideals stated in the Declaration of Independence.
