Trump speaks as America celebrates its 250th birthday
President Donald Trump addressed the nation on its 250th anniversary to a scattered crowd in Washington late on Saturday, following a stormy forecast that led officials to evacuate the National Mall for more than two hours.
As he began his remarks, he thanked the crowd for returning to celebrate with him. “For 2 1/2 centuries, our American republic has stood as the crowning achievement of human history,” he said, praising the country as the “most incredible nation ever to exist on the face of the Earth, and we’re doing better now than we’ve ever done before.”
Trump’s address was set to be followed by what the White House has called “the largest pyrotechnics display in the history of the world.”
The muggy day in much of the country was otherwise marked with the usual American exuberance, with fighter jets, tall ships, parachutists and flag-festooned pickups. Across the city of Philadelphia, bells rang at noon to mark the moment in 1776 when the Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence, and reenactors dressed as Minutemen marched on the grass of Independence Mall.
In New York, a flotilla of tall schooners and sloops sailed up the Hudson River, with one ship carrying an issue of The Boston Gazette from July 22, 1776, which reprinted the full text of the Declaration of Independence. In Charlottesville, Virginia, 75 people from around the world became United States citizens during a naturalization ceremony at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home. And in Los Angeles, a crowd gathered at a park for an Independence Day party that was scheduled to go on all weekend.
Also happening across the nation:
-- Fire on Brooklyn Bridge: In New York City, a fireworks celebration appeared to go awry, as a fire on the Brooklyn Bridge broke out that was later extinguished, according to local authorities. Authorities said no injuries were reported.
-- Fires and heat: Some places across the Western United States canceled fireworks displays, worried about the danger of sparking wildfires. Dangerously high temperatures disrupted events planned up and down the East Coast.
-- Huge display: Organizers in Washington planned to set off more than 850,000 fireworks over 40 minutes, an extravaganza that would be many times larger than past Independence Day fireworks displays. It would be so large that National Park Service officials believed it could leave “hazardous” pollution over downtown Washington for hours afterward.
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This story was originally published July 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Trump speaks as America celebrates its 250th birthday."