The much-loved Fourth of July fireworks at the National Mall will be delayed for almost two hours as Donald Trump turns the celebration into yet another MAGA rally.
Empty crowds, a Confederate flag and an alleged lewd act may have overshadowed the president’s Great American State Fair, but Trump has now set his sights on Saturday’s Independence Day festivities—and it’s already throwing Washington D.C. into chaos.
“We are going to host the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all, a ‘TRIBUTE TO AMERICA,’” he wrote on his Truth Social platform as he flagged the event earlier this month.
The “Salute to America” celebration will kick off at the National Mall at 7 p.m. on Saturday, with military flyovers, musical performances and a speech by the president.
But the traditional family-friendly fireworks, which usually begin at around 9 p.m., now won’t start until about 10:30 p.m.—although DC government officials warn it could even be 11 p.m. before the pyrotechnics begin.
The extravaganza will then last for nearly 40 minutes, double the usual time, making the event the biggest July 4 fireworks show in U.S. history.
But DC event organizers and party-goers have told the Daily Beast the unexpected delay has forced them to rewrite their schedules, while parents are bracing for overtired meltdowns and pet owners are dreading a late-night barrage of explosions.
Even White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt admitted during a trip to the Great American State Fair this weekend that she wasn’t sure her own family could stay up late enough to watch the event.
“It’s past bedtime,” Leavitt told Fox News’ Peter Doocy.
“It’s a family discussion we have to have, if it’s worth keeping two very young children up that late, and then ruining July 5. But I think it’s going to be worth it.”
Saturday’s July 4 fireworks are expected to involve an unprecedented 850,000 firework shells from 10 different locations, including eight barges floating on the Potomac River and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The pool, which became a national embarrassment this month after Trump’s botched attempt to refurbish it, is currently fenced off with signs warning “Danger! Explosives.”
Meanwhile, the National Mall between the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument resembles a construction zone with endless detours, as workers create a makeshift outdoor stadium for the president’s rally.
The festivities are also snarling travel, with Reagan National Airport suspending flights from noon on July 4 until the early hours of July 5 for military flyovers, while rehearsals will briefly shut down airspace the day before.
“There will be incredible Flyovers and Airshows featuring our Top Military Pilots and Equipment, and I will deliver keynote remarks that you will not want to miss,” Trump foreshadowed earlier this month.
It was not the only time Trump has pleaded for people to show up. Last Wednesday, as the president kicked off the Great American State Fair with a rally on the other side of the National Mall, he also made another pitch for big crowds on Saturday.
“On July 4th, we will have the greatest show of all on the National Mall. Your favorite president will be speaking. So please show up. Because if we have two empty seats, you know what’s gonna happen? The fake news is gonna say he didn’t fill out the arena,” he told his supporters.
The July 4 celebration is being organized by Freedom 250, the Trump-backed group that also oversees the Great American State Fair.
The group is headed by Trump State Department official Keith Krach, who serves as CEO, and also includes MAGA power players, including top fundraiser Meredith O’Rourke and campaign strategist Chris LaCivita.
However, critics argue Freedom 250 has eclipsed the original bipartisan commission that was created to oversee the nation’s semiquincentennial, transforming what was intended as a broad civic celebration into something far more political for the president.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Monday: “Prepare for this year’s 4th of July events to look different than previous years.
“Plan ahead, stay safe, and let’s enjoy our beautiful city.”
