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United States (US) President Donald Trump has insisted that he will still deliver a July Fourth (US 250th Anniversary) speech after severe weather prompted an evacuation of the National Mall on Saturday.
Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday saying, “I’m not going to let some rain stop our 250th.”
Event organisers Freedom 250 said Trump plans to give his speech on the Mall at 11 pm, followed by fireworks, and gates for the Salute to America event would reopen at 9:45 pm.
Initially, Trump planned to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary of independence with a rally on the National Mall, but the event was complicated by severe storms gathering near Washington, forcing event organisers to order an evacuation.
“Freedom 250 will share updates on programming and doors reopening,” Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement that encouraged participants to seek shelter at museums and federal buildings near the National Mall.
Washington’s metro system also said several of its underground stations were available for shelter.
He planned to speak around 10 pm ET, but it was unclear whether and how those plans would move forward.
Spectators would need to be screened by security again, and the U.S. Secret Service announced earlier that it had temporarily closed checkpoints.
In the meantime, crowds were gathered in facilities like the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre, where they waited in chairs and sat on the floor to cool off in the air conditioning.
Elsewhere, severe weather prompted the cancellation of celebrations in Hartford, Connecticut, as well as in Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Spectators at Boston’s fireworks and concert were told to briefly seek shelter before events later resumed.
New York and Pittsburgh moved forward with fireworks but shifted the time to accommodate the shifting weather.
