Scoop: Trump's late July 4 speech throws D.C. fireworks timing into flux
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New Year's Eve fireworks. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
One big reason why D.C.'s July 4 fireworks show is being pushed later: President Trump is scheduled to give a 45-minute speech on a National Mall stage, a source involved in the planning tells Axios.
Why it matters: With temperatures expected to hit 102°F and inauguration-level security on the Mall, every delay ripples through the evening — keeping people in the heat longer, slowing trips home and pushing bedtimes.
State of play: The Trump-allied Freedom 250 wants to break the Guinness World Record for largest fireworks display, firing 850,000 shells over 40 minutes.
Yes, but: Trump's penchant for rollicking speeches makes it hard to pinpoint when the show starts.
- Trump is supposed to begin speaking at 9:50pm, according to a Secret Service official who wasn't able to go on the record because plans are, well, very much in flux.
- "He could take a half hour, he could take" more, the official added.
- Cabinet secretaries and Congress members will be in attendance for a speech Trump teased on social media over the weekend.
- Adding to the made-for-TV flavor, Freedom 250 announced Tuesday that a military flyover will feature a "massive 17-aircraft formation" that debuts Air Force One, the Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar.
The intrigue: Mayor Muriel Bowser made news on Monday, saying that fireworks "won't begin until 11pm."
- Freedom 250 continues to advertise 10:30pm on its website. The Secret Service official says 11pm was being considered as recently as last week.
- "Planning is very fluid," they added. "The timeline is subject to change right up until the start of the event."
What we're watching: If thunderstorms strike, it could go even later, especially if attendees who passed through TSA-level security get evacuated from the Mall. There's a 30% chance for precipitation, per the National Weather Service.
- A past-midnight, July 5 fireworks show isn't out of the realm of possibility, the official said.