Trump mixes patriotism with partisanship as he celebrates 250th anniversary

President Donald Trump mixed partisan politics with patriotic appeals on Saturday as he commemorated the 250th anniversary of American independence, a moment he declared “one of the most joyous and glorious milestones of all time”.

Speaking in Washington after storms prompted a roughly two-hour evacuation of the National Mall, Mr Trump honoured veterans, including several from the Second World War and one of the first black officers to lead a special forces team in combat in Vietnam.

They appeared before flags that symbolised some of the most significant and challenging moments in American history, from the one draped over Abraham Lincoln’s casket to the one which flew on the plane piloted by the Wright Brothers.

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Mr Trump also leaned into partisan territory unusual for an Independence Day address, which presidents typically use as a moment to unify the country.

He stumped again for the SAVE America Act, an elections bill encountering challenges even from the president’s fellow Republicans in Congress, highlighted his support for the Second Amendment and revived denunciations of communism, which are becoming an increasingly central part of his message ahead of the November midterms.

The speech capped a holiday that Mr Trump has gone to great lengths to shape to his own tastes.

He was introduced by two musical performers who often appear at his rallies, including Lee Greenwood, who performed God Bless America. The event organisers were largely aligned with the White House, supplanting a bipartisan organisation launched by Congress a decade ago.

“We will always be on top,” Mr Trump said. “We will never let our country fall. We will always be the best.”

Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as one-time colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own.

Organisers of celebrations months in the making had to adjust or cancel activities entirely as much of the east coast sweltered under heat that approached and, in many cases, surpassed triple digits.

Severe weather prompted the cancellation of celebrations in Hartford, Connecticut, along with Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Spectators at Boston’s fireworks and concert were told to briefly seek shelter before events resumed. An evacuation was also ordered in Philadelphia.

New York and Pittsburgh moved forward with fireworks, but shifted the time to accommodate the shifting weather.

The disruption was particularly acute in Washington, where signs at the Great American State Fair posted an alert shortly after 7pm local time encouraging participants to leave the area.

Crowds gathered in museums, subway stations and federal buildings near the Mall and at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre they waited in chairs and sat on the floor to cool off in the air conditioning.

In Philadelphia, fireworks began to crack as early as midday near the site where the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress.

Hundreds of visitors were gathering at Independence Hall in the sweltering heat to await the celebrations coinciding with the France-Paraguay World Cup knockout game at Philadelphia Stadium, which began with commemorations of the holiday.

“It’s one big party in here,” Carlos Alban, who travelled to Philadelphia from Chicago to watch the match, said as he arrived at the stadium, adding that he spotted a fan in the parking lot dressed as one of the Founding Fathers.

In New York, tall ships with their masts, rigging and white sails outlined against a blue sky, made a procession around the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River, recalling the fanfare around America’s 200th anniversary in 1976.

The 43 ships were followed by a display of aerial might with a stealth bomber and the Navy’s Blue Angels.

Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s acrobatic teams, flew over New York Harbour with their red, white and blue trails, evoking images of the American flag.

At George Washington’s Mount Vernon, people took the Oath of Allegiance to become US citizens, standing with eyes closed and hands over hearts for the national anthem.