President Donald Trump’s celebration for America’s 250th anniversary will culminate Saturday with a record-breaking fireworks show on the National Mall amid scorching temperatures and controversy over his efforts to put himself at the center of the commemoration.
Trump has teased lengthy remarks as part of the “Salute to America” event despite a dangerous heat wave’s potential to impact audiences.
During a Wednesday rally, the president dismissed any concerns about the heat stopping him from giving remarks. “By the way, on July Fourth, it’s going to be approximately 107 degrees out, and I’m going to go, and I’m going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,” Trump said.
The high-profile remarks come as another piece of Trump’s 250th programming, the “Great American State Fair,” contends with modest crowds and logistical setbacks. Along with the fair, “Salute to America” is organized by Freedom 250 – a Trump-backed nonprofit tasked with putting on a series of semiquincentennial events that cater to the president’s cultural agenda. August will include a street “Freedom 250 Grand Prix” and a youth athletic contest branded as the “Patriot Games” with a grand prize of $250,000.
