US CELEBRATES 250TH BIRTHDAY
Extreme heat impacts celebrations across much of country
Military aircraft perform a flyover near the Statue of Liberty on Saturday as seen from Jersey City, N.J.
FOURTH OF JULY
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump was due to mark the country's 250th anniversary on Saturday with a political rally on a fenced-off National Mall in Washington, though summer thunderstorms threatened to disrupt the event at least temporarily.
As a line of storms rolled into the region on Saturday night, authorities ordered a crowd that had assembled on the Mall to evacuate the exposed area and shelter nearby. The U.S. Secret Service said it was not letting any more people through security checkpoints.
It was not immediately clear whether that would affect Trump's scheduled 10 p.m. Eastern time appearance, which he has billed as "the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all." Freedom 250, the group organizing the event, said public safety officials were monitoring weather conditions.
Visitors had waited hours to get into the event, contending with stepped-up security and temperatures that reached 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The record-breaking heat wave forced the cancellation of several parades and other events in the area.
"It's just part of the deal I signed up for," said Glen Solander, 60, a software engineer visiting from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as he waited at a security checkpoint on Saturday afternoon.
Other visitors included the white nationalist organization Patriot Front. The group posted on social media that it arrived in the capital, and hundreds of people wearing the group's outfits traveled to the city on D.C. Metro trains. Local police said early Saturday evening they hadn't received reports of violence.
Patriot Front, known for its uniforms, face masks and flash-mob-style demonstrations, formed in 2017 after the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, breaking off from the Vanguard America white supremacist group that was at the center of that protest, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
A manifesto on Patriot Front's website says, "Democracy has failed this once great nation," and a "hard reset" is needed to "return to the traditions and virtues of our forefathers," identifying them as European settlers.
In the nation's capital, Trump was poised to place himself at the center of the celebration.
The president billed his evening appearance among the city's iconic monuments as "the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all," accompanied by military flyovers and a supersized fireworks display.
Past U.S. presidents steered clear of the celebration, but Trump blurred the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics.
A nonpartisan body set up in 2016 to handle the 250th anniversary was largely sidelined by the Trump administration's Freedom 250 group, which fenced off much of the 1.5-mile National Mall for a "Great American State Fair" featuring attractions such as a Ferris wheel alongside displays by conservative groups and defense contractors.
Several Democratic-led states declined to send delegations, and many performers who were scheduled to appear dropped out, citing concerns about partisanship. Thousands were on hand for Trump's kickoff rally on June 24 but since then crowd sizes at the event have sometimes been modest.
Other activities with Freedom 250 branding include a faith rally featuring mostly conservative Christian speakers, and multiple sports events, including a card of mixed martial arts bouts on the White House grounds for Trump's 80th birthday. An IndyCar race in Washington is scheduled for August.
The Freedom 250 organization also sponsored "Freedom Trucks" that critics say paint an overly religious version of American history and gloss over issues such as slavery and racial injustice.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans, including three-quarters of Democrats and half of Republicans, think the events celebrating the country's 250th anniversary have grown too political.
Trump sought to remake wide swaths of the capital city ahead of the 250th celebration, with mixed results. Many fountains and statues were renovated, but problems beset a much-touted $15 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial's Reflecting Pool and security cameras and soldiers now stand watch over its peeling paint and algae-fouled waters.
Weather worries
Several governors went online to warn residents ahead of temperatures expected to be 10 to 20 degrees above average across the eastern part of the United States.
"Please be cautious of the extreme heat," New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill posted on social media. "Limit your time outdoors — especially during the hottest times of the day — and drink plenty of water."
Dangerously hot conditions and heat index values of 110 to 115 were forecast for parts of Maryland, Virginia and Washington.
"The extreme heat we are feeling in Virginia is not letting up this weekend," Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger posted on social media. "Please do your part to let our first responders and health care professionals enjoy the 4th of July, too. Take precautions now so you don't have to make a trip to urgent care. Stay safe, stay hydrated, and stay cool, Virginia!"
