Trump says he reversed cancellation of Independence Day event, drawing 150,000 back

US President Donald Trump said Saturday (local time) that the celebration marking America's 250th anniversary of independence was called off due to a storm but resumed after he personally reversed the cancellation.

Trump posted on Truth Social that 424,000 people had gathered on and around the National Mall in Washington, D.C., by 7:05 p.m. on July 4 — Independence Day — before severe weather forced the event to be canceled and crowds to evacuate.

"When I heard the event was cancelled, I immediately reversed that decision and waited a little while to give people time to come back," he said. "Incredibly, at least 150,000 people returned, and because of that, the show was even more spectacular than it would have been if it had gone on as originally scheduled."

Trump praised the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for their handling of the evacuation and rapid re-entry of attendees. He added that heavy rain began falling immediately after the fireworks concluded, giving "this incredible evening an even more dramatic ending."

The founding anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., was briefly halted Friday amid near-40-degree Celsius heat and forecasts of thunderstorms. After an evacuation order was issued, attendees who had gathered at outdoor venues took shelter in nearby buildings, returning to the event grounds after 9 p.m. when organizers announced the program would resume.

Trump's speech began around 11:15 p.m., roughly an hour and a half behind schedule, and a fireworks display — billed as a bid to set a new world record for the largest show — began around midnight, immediately after he finished speaking.