Officials ordered the evacuation of the Salute to America event on the National Mall where President Donald Trump spoke Saturday evening because of approaching severe storms and extreme heat, and the president ultimately spoke after an hours-long delay.
"Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, we've been asked to tell you, our officials have asked to tell you to, we need evacuation right away," an overhead announcement said Saturday evening.
"The safety of our guests, performers, and staff is our top priority," Danielle Alvarez, a spokeswoman for Freedom 250, said in a statement. She added: "Due to approaching severe storms, Freedom 250, United States Secret Service, United States Park Police, National Park Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and all public safety partners are asking all guests to evacuate event grounds and seek temporary shelter in a nearby building."
The delays forced the cancellation of some performances and organizers asked people to evacuate the Freedom 250 State Fair event on the National Mall; an overhead announcement said, "Due to approaching severe weather, we are temporarily pausing the event for your safety."
The preliminary high temperature in Washington, D.C., Saturday was 102, making it the hottest July Fourth on record for the city and breaking the previous record high of 100 degrees set on July 4, 1919.
Trump downplayed the heat in a social media post and earlier told reporters, "It’s going to be approximately 107 degrees out, and I’m going to go, and I’m going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything," and the president said he will speak at 10 p.m.
Organizers said the secured viewing area for fireworks on the Washington Monument grounds has a capacity of approximately 150,000 people; they said the display would feature 850,000 pyrotechnic effects, was expected to begin between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. and would last approximately 35 minutes launching from 10 sites around the National Monument. The fireworks finale, however, concluded at about 1:00 a.m. local time.
Freedom 250 CEO Keith Krach said in a statement, "This firework display will light up the skies over our capital as a tribute to them, and a reminder to every American watching that our greatest chapters are still ahead. It's a moment to come together, look up, and feel proud of who we are and where we're going."
The celebration was to include several military flyovers, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was expected to close beginning at noon on July Fourth to accommodate the aerial demonstrations; Trump said in a social media post the airshow would be "the biggest, by far, in the History of the United States of America. Hundreds of Planes, of different types, sizes, and speeds, will be on display." Once the storm passed, festivities resumed, including a flyover featuring the new Air Force One and a concert.
Attendees were not permitted to bring coolers into the primary secured viewing area but officials said hydration would be available inside; medical response plans included first-aid tents, additional ambulances, bicycle teams and multiagency response teams, and some visitors to the Great American State Fair were treated by medics Friday because of the extreme heat.
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for parts of the mid-Atlantic including D.C., Baltimore and Richmond and was set to remain in effect until 10 p.m.; officials warned the main concern from any severe thunderstorms would be strong, potentially damaging wind gusts that could top 60 mph in some spots.
Thousands of spectators who had filed onto the National Mall for the event were instructed to evacuate, and many opted to stay as clouds grew darker overhead while weekend semiquincentennial festivities and other parades were disrupted.
During his address at the Salute to America event, President Donald Trump honored veterans, mentioned the Artemis II crew and an early version of the American flag, and used parts of the speech to push his political agenda, including his backing of the Save America Act and the right to bear arms. He said, "The American dream is back," told the crowd "Long live the cause of independence," and called the moment "only the dawn of the golden age of America" with its destiny "written by God." He also said, "We don't want Communists in our country."
The speech wrapped up just before midnight.
A small crowd on Capitol Hill cheered before rapidly walking toward the exits as it began to lightly rain.
Videos and reporting showed around 400 members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front carrying U.S. flags and marching in unison through parts of the capital during the celebrations.
Some observers and critics accused Trump of politicizing the semiquincentennial by launching Freedom 250, a privately funded events committee that competed with the bipartisan America 250 commission established by Congress.
On Friday at Mount Rushmore, Trump gave a speech that moved from praise for America to a warning about what he called a threat to its future.
Seventy-two million travelers were expected to be on the move for the July Fourth weekend, a new record.