Evacuation ordered at National Mall as storms approach before Trump's July 4 speech

On Saturday evening, an evacuation was initiated at the National Mall in Washington due to approaching storms, just hours before President Donald Trump was set to speak at the event marking America's 250th independence anniversary. Attendees were advised to seek shelter in federal buildings or Smithsonian museums. Danielle Alvarez, a spokeswoman for Freedom 250, mentioned that information regarding programming updates and reopening of doors would be provided. Fireworks plans remained intact in other cities, such as Chicago and New York, where tall ships sailed past the Statue of Liberty earlier that day, reminiscent of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary in 1976. Throughout the year, excitement for this significant holiday has been mounting, though organizers faced challenges adjusting or canceling events amid extreme heat across much of the East Coast.