On July 4, 2026, President Trump delivered a speech at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence. The event was delayed by a two-hour evacuation due to severe weather.

In his remarks, Trump paid tribute to veterans from various conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Civil War hero William Harvey Carney, the first Black man awarded the Medal of Honor. He intertwined history with politics, emphasizing America's "golden age" and condemning communism, stating, "Our warriors did not fight communism on battlefields across the world, only to have that menace rear its ugly head right back here in America."

The president also referenced recent military actions, claiming, "You look at Venezuela, you look at Iran, we wiped it out, wiped out their military," and compared these to the historic sinking of a Spanish fleet at Manila Bay. He described the event as "much like our recent victory by sinking the entire Iranian navy, 159 ships to the bottom of the sea, all done in just a moment's time."

Trump used the occasion to promote the SAVE America Act, legislation that would require voters to prove U.S. citizenship to register and show identification before voting. He asserted, "We want to keep America great, and we will do so by approving the Save America Act."

Despite the earlier evacuation, Trump noted that "at least 150,000 people" returned for his speech. He praised the Secret Service and law enforcement for quickly restoring order, saying, "It was an amazing evening made even more spectacular by the fact that, immediately after the Great Fireworks ended, the rains came down, full blast!"

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