Severe Weather Disrupts July 4th Celebrations on National Mall; Trump to Deliver Speech Despite Evacuation
Severe storms near Washington forced the evacuation of the National Mall on Saturday (July 4, 2026), disrupting planned July Fourth celebrations. President Donald Trump confirmed he will still deliver his scheduled speech later that evening.
“I’m not going to let some rain stop our 250th,” Mr. Trump said in a social media post.
Event organisers Freedom 250 announced that Mr. Trump plans to speak on the Mall at 11 p.m., followed by fireworks. Gates for the Salute to America event are scheduled to reopen at 9:45 p.m.
The evacuation order came as severe storms gathered near Washington. Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez urged participants to seek shelter at nearby museums and federal buildings, and said updates on programming would be shared. Washington's metro system also offered underground stations as shelter.
The severe weather led to the cancellation of celebrations in Hartford, Connecticut, and in Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In Boston, spectators at a fireworks and concert event were briefly told to seek shelter before activities resumed. Fireworks plans moved forward in New York, where tall ships passed the Statue of Liberty earlier in the day, recalling the fanfare of America's 200th anniversary in 1976.
The disruption was particularly acute in Washington, where signs at the Great American State Fair posted an alert shortly after 7 p.m. ET encouraging participants to leave the area. National Guard troops instructed people to exit, although some attendees lingered. The U.S. Secret Service temporarily closed checkpoints for screening ahead of Mr. Trump's speech, originally scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. Military flyovers, a recent tradition, were cancelled for the rest of the day.
Earlier in the day, crowds had gathered in sweltering heat. Tina Hale, 58, of Cohoes, New York, watched her grandchildren dip their hands in water near a museum. As military jets flew overhead, she said, “If that doesn't make you proud to be an American.” David Koshko, 42, a Marine Corps veteran from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, came to Washington for a baseball game and planned to stay for fireworks. He remarked, “Just to be a part of the 250 years (anniversary) is an amazing thing.”
In Philadelphia, fireworks began as early as midday near Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Hundreds gathered in heat to await celebrations coinciding with a World Cup match. The extreme heat, reaching triple digits in many areas, defined the weekend across the East Coast, forcing organisers to adjust or cancel months-in-the-making events.
