President Donald Trump’s speech marking America’s 250th birthday appeared to fall flat in sweltering heat, with sparse crowds turning out for the 40-minute address.
Washington, D.C., baked in record-breaking 103-degree temperatures on Saturday as severe weather forced a temporary evacuation of the National Mall ahead of the July Fourth celebrations.
Although organizers later confirmed the event would go ahead after the delay, videos from the start of Trump’s speech appeared to show large gaps in the crowd, suggesting many did not return.
After the National Park Service issued an evacuation order around 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, advising visitors to follow instructions as they sought shelter from severe conditions, a second, more urgent warning from Freedom 250 soon followed, telling attendees to evacuate the grounds immediately.
As confusion spread across the National Mall, it was initially unclear whether the 80-year-old president would still deliver his much-hyped speech at the “rally” he had billed for weeks, but he pressed ahead despite the conditions.
“It’s Saturday night, LET’S HAVE SOME FUN even if we are out late,” Trump, who is known for his sleepless nights, wrote on Truth Social.
The president eventually spoke after 11 pm—more than an hour after the scheduled start—but according to the BBC, despite Secret Service assurances that attendees would be re-screened and allowed back in, the process dragged on, leaving thousands stuck outside for a significant period.
“If you think that was easy, it wasn’t,” Trump said as he opened his speech, adding that he would even speak to one person at 4 am if he had to.
Trump also claimed that out of the 350,000 people allegedly evacuated, 150,000 returned to listen to his speech—despite the visibly sparse turnout and a chaotic post-evacuation return that reporters on the ground described as “frantic” and a “mess,” according to The Independent.
Those who did attend—and filled the front rows as Trump spoke—were treated to a traditional presidential speech about America’s “golden age” under his second term, his policies, and the threat of communism, which he had also referenced the day prior at Mount Rushmore.
“As our Declaration of Independence tells us, we are all made in the image of one almighty God, and a communist will never say that,” Trump said at one point in his speech, citing the preamble to the historic document, which actually reads: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”
After his speech, the president sat down next to First Lady Melania Trump to watch a massive fireworks display billed as the largest in the country’s history, appearing at one point to close his eyes during the late-night celebrations.
Internal National Park Service documents reportedly warned nearby residents about potential pollution from the fireworks, advising them to expect symptoms of irritation, limit exposure, and even suggesting that wearing an N95 mask “would be a good idea.”
The Fourth of July fireworks wrapped up at around 1 am local time on July 5.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
