Severe weather disrupts Trump’s America 250 celebration

WASHINGTON: Severe weather disrupted the marquee celebration of America’s 250th birthday Saturday, threatening a much-hyped rally and speech in Washington by President Donald Trump, who has sought to stamp his mark on the anniversary.

Tens of thousands who braved a suffocating heat wave to attend the event on the National Mall were ordered to evacuate several hours ahead of Trump’s address due to an approaching thunderstorm.

While many streamed toward exits, chaos broke out as other attendees refused to leave or tried to surge back in, shouting “charge!” and “Trump! Trump!”

“We are evacuating! Move!” officers shouted to the thousands of holdouts, ranging from elderly visitors to families with infants. It was not clear when the site would reopen.

Tension built as security officers struggled to control the crowd. Police lined up in rows and shined their flashlights to push people back, while a security vehicle tried to herd others toward an exit.

Trump had organised hours of military flyovers and an unusual campaign-style political rally for July Fourth, the anniversary of the 1776 signing of the country’s Declaration of Independence. The finale was a 40-minute fireworks show touted as the biggest ever.

“Despite the heat, which isn’t as bad as predicted, the crowds in DC are INCREDIBLE!” Trump posted to Truth Social earlier Saturday, as temperatures soared to 101°F (38°C) in the capital.

A swath of the eastern US was sweltering in a heat wave, with 160 million Americans under extreme weather warnings, according to the National Weather Service. Heat wreaked havoc on the parades, block parties and barbecues that traditionally mark July Fourth.

Earlier, Washington’s parade was cancelled as the “feels like” temperature soared to 107°F.

“The event and what it means to our country inspire you,” said Randy Cole, 62, a retired civil servant attending festivities in Washington.

“Experiencing a little heat is a lot less than what a lot of people sacrifice to give us this freedom in this awesome country.”

Trump, 80, said he was undeterred by the smothering heat and promised to make a “really long speech – just to show that I can do anything”.

‘Renewed attack’

Trump visited the iconic Mount Rushmore monument in South Dakota on Friday for an address under the stony gaze of his legendary predecessors George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

While lauding US exceptionalism, he also said America’s identity was under “renewed attack” from domestic “radicals and extremists”, saving particular ire for a “resurgence of the communist menace”.

It is a theme that the Republican leader has repeatedly hammered home recently, after the anti-establishment left of the Democratic Party won a string of US primary victories.

Deep divisions were on full display Saturday near Washington’s Capitol Hill, where masked men – some of them carrying Confederate flags and others sporting logos of the white supremacist Patriot Front – gathered to shout, “Reclaim America!”

Pope Leo XIV – the Catholic Church’s first US pope, who has sparred with Trump over his immigration crackdown – used the occasion to say his vision of the American dream includes an inclusive society.

“Defending human life also includes welcoming, protecting and assisting immigrants, whose hopes, sacrifices and contributions have formed part of the history of this country from its very beginning,” the Chicago-born pontiff said.

Celebration and reflection

For Americans, the 250th anniversary offers a moment for reflection as well as celebration.

A Quinnipiac University Poll showed 61% of Americans thought the US was not living up to the ideals stated in the Declaration of Independence – though most Republicans think it does, and most Democrats think it doesn’t.

Outside Washington, New York was hosting an international parade of tall ships, with flyovers and a massive fireworks display.

In Philadelphia, visitors lined up in the heat to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.