Trump: "The love for our country has never been stronger."

The president Donald Trump published a message on his Truth Social account this Saturday celebrating Independence Day, in which he described the crowds gathered in Washington D.C. as "incredible" and stated that the love for the United States "has never been stronger."

The message, posted this afternoon while the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the nation took place on the National Mall, arrived hours before the presidential speech scheduled for 10:00 PM this Saturday at the Lincoln Memorial.

"Despite the heat, which isn't as bad as predicted, the crowds in D.C. are INCREDIBLE! The love for our country has never been stronger! The air shows are at an unprecedented level: what great pilots, what great equipment!" wrote Trump, who closed his message with "Our country is stronger than EVER!"

The celebrations took place under extreme heat conditions: the temperature in the capital reached 107°F (42°C), which led to the cancellation of several parades in states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Colorado, although the events in Washington continued uninterrupted.

The air show, which began at 1:14 PM with flyovers by NASA jets, lasted for nine hours and included performances by the Blue Angels at 4:59 PM and the Thunderbirds at 6:25 PM. Shortly after 7:00 PM, the refurbished Air Force One led a massive flyover over the Mall. Ronald Reagan National Airport closed at noon to accommodate the demonstrations.

The official program, titled "Tribute to America" and organized under the platform Freedom250 associated with the White House, also included a fireworks display featuring more than 850,000 effects launched from 10 different sites over a duration of 40 minutes, aiming to set a Guinness World Record. Attendance of more than a million people at the National Mall was anticipated.

In his post, Trump also referenced the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial, asserting that it "looks great, despite everything that happened with the thug vandals," and promised to drain it and repair the damages "right after this great weekend." The pool had been the subject of controversy in previous weeks when Trump accused "vandals" of damaging its lining. Outlets like the BBC and the AP noted that there was no evidence of organized vandalism; the only documented legal case was the felony charge against David Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist, who was accused on June 19 of damaging the sealant at the bottom of the pool, causing approximately $1,000 in damages. His defense denied the charges and labeled the accusation as an attempt to "shift the blame for the administration's own failures."

The celebrations on July 4, 2026, are the most significant since the Bicentennial of 1976, as they commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Trump had kicked off the celebration cycle on June 25 at the National Mall and gave a speech from Mount Rushmore on Friday, where he claimed he would be "the best president the US has had in a long, long time."

A severe storm warning was in effect for the Washington area until 10:00 PM this Saturday, the same time Trump is scheduled to speak to the crowd gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial.