Severe weather disrupts U.S. 250th birthday celebrations

Thunderstorms, extreme heat and power outages disrupted the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations, delaying President Donald Trump’s address in Washington and forcing crowds across several cities to seek shelter or adjust plans.

Trump spoke late Saturday on the National Mall after a thunderstorm delayed the event by nearly two hours and prompted an evacuation of spectators to nearby museums and government buildings. Visitors had already waited through heightened security and temperatures that reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit in Washington, Al Jazeera reported.

“The American dream is back,” Trump told the crowd before a large fireworks display lit up the capital. He described the milestone as “one of the most joyous and glorious” in U.S. history and paid tribute to veterans, including several who served in World War II and one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat in Vietnam.

The president also used the speech to press for the SAVE America Act, an elections bill that Al Jazeera reported has faced resistance even among Republicans in Congress. “We will always be on top,” Trump said. “We will never let our country fall. We will always be the best.” He closed by saying, “Long live the cause of independence,” and calling the moment “only the dawn of the golden age of America,” the BBC reported.

The July 4 federal holiday commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 by the 13 colonies to end British rule. This year’s anniversary has unfolded in a sharply divided country, with Trump criticized for making himself central to the milestone through Freedom 250 celebrations that are separate from the congressionally established America 250 events, the BBC reported.

The Washington program included a flyover, including one featuring the new Air Force One jet, a concert, Trump’s speech and fireworks. Freedom 250 also hosted events including Salute to America, the Great American State Fair and a FIFA fan zone. Al Jazeera reported that the fair covered much of the National Mall and included attractions such as a Ferris wheel, along with displays by conservative groups and defense contractors.

Hundreds of members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front also appeared in Washington during the festivities. The BBC reported that about 400 masked, uniformed members marched near the Capitol and Union Station carrying U.S. flags. Al Jazeera reported that local police said they had received no reports of violence.

Severe weather affected celebrations well beyond Washington. New York City moved its fireworks display earlier because of storm threats, though rain and lightning stayed away, according to Al Jazeera. Celebrations were canceled in Hartford, Connecticut, and in Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Boston spectators were briefly told to seek shelter before events resumed, and Pittsburgh shifted the timing of its fireworks.

The BBC reported that the National Park Service’s Independence Day Parade in Washington was canceled over safety concerns, while some events were also shut down in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Colorado. The highest temperatures were expected in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey, where readings could reach 108 degrees Fahrenheit.

Extreme weather also knocked out power. Nearly 750,000 customers in the eastern U.S. lost electricity, along with another 150,000 in New Jersey, according to the outage tracker PowerOutage cited by the BBC. Utility DTE said severe weather, including winds topping 60 mph in Michigan, left more than 350,000 homes there without power.

Other anniversary events continued across the country. America 250 celebrations included “America’s Block Party” gatherings and concerts at landmarks, with performers including Ne-Yo and Mary J. Blige in New York, The Smashing Pumpkins and Chaka Khan in Los Angeles, and Christina Aguilera and Will Smith in Philadelphia, the BBC reported. At Mount Vernon in Virginia, 150 people from 50 countries became U.S. citizens in a naturalization ceremony.

Former presidents also marked the anniversary. Joe Biden said the promise that all people are created equal remains unfinished. Barack Obama said each generation must continue “making our union a little more perfect.” George W. Bush said the next 250 years require Americans to be “citizens, not spectators,” while Bill Clinton cited “deep division” and “serious threats” to U.S. institutions and democracy, the BBC reported.