US President Donald Trump delivered a delayed speech at the National Mall in Washington on Saturday evening to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The delay was due to a thunderstorm that had passed through the area. Beginning his remarks, Trump addressed the delay, saying, “Nothing can scare us.” He assured the crowd that he would have been willing to speak even in the middle of the night if needed, according to news source CNN.
The thunderstorm had prompted the Secret Service to evacuate attendees and later re-screen them before allowing re-entry. While some people returned, others chose not to come back. Trump acknowledged the inconvenience, saying, “I feel for those who couldn’t return. But you are all special people, and we have a special country.”
His speech lasted approximately 40 minutes. The President expressed gratitude to veterans, highlighted key moments from American history, and spoke about the significance of the American flag.
Trump sharply criticised communism multiple times during his speech. While he did not explicitly name individuals, he appeared to target “democratic socialists,” including figures such as New York City politician Zohran Mamdani. “America will never be a communist country,” he declared, adding, “communism is a loser.”
He described communism as an incompatible threat to American values and likened it to a destructive force that must be swiftly eradicated. “Communism is like cancer. It’s something you must cut out quickly,” he stated.
Trump’s rhetoric against communism has been a recurring theme in his commentary, particularly as the US approaches midterm elections in November, which will determine control of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate.
The evening concluded with an extravagant fireworks display. According to organisers, it was the largest in US history, featuring approximately 850,000 fireworks that lit up the sky above Washington for around 40 minutes, as reported by American media.
