Trump Made Bold 4th Of July Decision

President Trump said Sunday that he personally reversed a decision to cancel the Independence Day celebration on the National Mall after severe weather forced organizers to temporarily shut down the event.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the crowd had reached approximately 422,000 people by 7:05 p.m. before attendees were evacuated because of lightning.

“When I heard that it was cancelled, I immediately overturned that decision, and waited a while for people to come back,” Trump wrote. He said roughly 150,000 people returned for his speech and the fireworks display, calling it “an even more spectacular evening” than originally planned.

Trump also praised the United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies for quickly allowing attendees back into the secured area.

The celebration faced multiple challenges throughout the day. Visitors attending the Great American State Fair dealt with extreme heat, with reports indicating that 34 people were hospitalized for heat-related illnesses. To reduce the impact of the high temperatures, the Secret Service delayed the start of some activities, according to officials.

As thunderstorms approached later in the evening, members of the National Guard helped prepare the area by securing equipment and directing visitors to nearby museums for shelter. Trump had been scheduled to deliver his “Salute to America” address at 9:45 p.m. EDT, but severe weather delayed the speech until about 11 p.m.

Following the address, a large fireworks display lit up the National Mall as lightning flashed across the Washington sky. Trump later wrote that rain began falling heavily immediately after the fireworks concluded, calling the night “an amazing evening.”