The United States celebrated its 250th Independence Day with fireworks and flyovers, even as storms, extreme heat and power outages disrupted events nationwide.
The United States marked the 250th anniversary of its independence on 4 July with celebrations across the country, including fireworks, concerts and military flyovers. In Washington DC, President Donald Trump addressed supporters at the National Mall after thunderstorms delayed the main event, calling the occasion the beginning of a new “golden age of America.”
The annual holiday honours the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which ended British rule over the original 13 colonies. This year’s celebrations, however, were overshadowed by severe weather, with heatwaves, thunderstorms and strong winds forcing cancellations, temporary evacuations and widespread power outages.
While crowds returned after storms cleared in the capital, thousands of homes across several states remained without electricity, and some Independence Day events elsewhere were cancelled because of dangerous weather conditions.
Despite challenging weather and political debate, Americans across the country gathered to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday.
