WASHINGTON D.C., United States, Jul 5 — The United States of America marked its 250th birthday with fireworks, flyovers, some intense weather across the country, much of which has simmered under an unforgiving heat wave for days.

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“The American dream is back,” US President Donald Trump told a cheering crowd at a delayed rally on the National Mall in Washington before the reputed largest fireworks display ever in the US lit up the night.

The 4 July federal holiday commemorates the 13 US colonies signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to end British rule.

The sharply divided country has seen Trump criticised for making himself central to the milestone and politicising it by launching Freedom 250 celebrations, which are separate from congressionally established America 250 events.

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Trump’s remarks – where he hit on recent political themes of rejecting communism, Save America Act legislation he favors and the right to bear arms – wrapped up just before midnight at the Freedom 250 event.

“Long live the cause of independence,” he said. “May it reign forever and ever and ever, we will always be on top, we will never let our country fall, we will always be the best.”

Upon closing, he told the crowd, “this is only the dawn of the golden age of America” with its destiny “written by God”.

The grande finale of the fireworks show was marked by a massive flurry of blasts – reaching a much anticipated crescendo. As it concluded around 1am, the small crowd on Capitol Hill cheered and rapidly started heading for the exits in a light rain.

The celebration, which included a flyover – one featuring the new Air Force One jet – a concert – as well as the speech and fireworks was delayed by a thunderstorm that forced an evacuation of the National Mall in the early evening.

Freedom 250 asked guests in the area attending Salute to America, the Great American State Fair and Fifa fan zone events to seek temporary shelter in a nearby buildings. Throughout the day, the capital had broiled under 100F (37C) temperatures – part of a larger heat wave enveloping the eastern US.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya