{"id":3711,"date":"2026-07-05T07:09:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T07:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3711"},"modified":"2026-07-05T07:09:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T07:09:35","slug":"dcs-national-mall-evacuated-as-storms-move-in-before-trumps-speech-but-hundreds-refuse-to-leave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3711","title":{"rendered":"DC’s National Mall evacuated as storms move in before Trump’s speech — but hundreds refuse to leave"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The National Mall was evacuated Saturday just hours before a massive Fourth of July fireworks display and a 250 Anniversary speech by President Trump due to an approaching thunderstorm \u2014 but several hundred people refused to leave.<\/p>\n

Read more Brooklyn Bridge catches fire during Fourth of July fireworks display<\/a><\/p>\n

Police began walking through the area, blaring whistles, and telling people to \u201cmove, move, move!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are temporarily pausing the event. For your safety please proceed to the nearest exit immediately. Take shelter in your vehicle or a nearby permanent building,\u201d an announcer told attendees.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But many of the guests, who had waited hours in the intense heat to get through the security line, rushed to the stage where President Trump is set to speak later and lingered.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As people stayed in their seats, authorities broadcast messages on large screens telling people of the \u201cimmediate evacuation\u201d and urging them to listen to the Secret Service.<\/p>\n

The crowd booed in response with others yelling \u201cUSA, USA, USA.\u201d Lightning filled the darkening sky and the wind picked up as staff urged people to head to the nearest exit.<\/p>\n

Some continued to refuse to leave but hundreds of others rushed to nearby federal buildings to wait out the weather.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, President Trump vowed the show will go on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will wait it out,\u201d he wrote on Truth Social. \u201cI don\u2019t care if it\u2019s 2:00 O\u2019Clock in the morning, or in one hour from now. Looks like it is going to pass, they always do. I will be there no matter what, but the \u201cwhat\u201d usually turns out to be a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Saturday night, LETS HAVE SOME FUN, even if we are out late tonight. They say 11:00 O\u2019Clock for the speech. Who cares???,\u201d he added,<\/p>\n

A White House official said the gates to the National Mall event will reopen at 9:45 p.m. and President Trump\u2019s speech is set for 11 p.m. The fireworks show will begin after his remarks.<\/p>\n

Read more Patrick Ewing joins Wizards staff as an assistant coach<\/a><\/p>\n

The president vowed earlier this week to give a long address in honor of the country\u2019s 250th birthday.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust to show that I can do anything,\u201d Trump said on Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s gonna be 107.\u201d<\/p>\n

The flyovers were eventually cancelled. The State Fair area was closed out as was the World Cup viewing area.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe safety of our guests, performers, and staff is our top priority,\u201d said Freedom 250 Spokesperson Danielle Alvarez.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>Freedom 250 will share updates on programming and doors reopening \u2014 please stay close to our official channels for updates.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Secret Service officials had dismantled the security check points for safety reasons but are reopening them for crowd screenings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Secret Service screening area will reopen shortly. Everyone who evacuated the site will go through screening again. The Secret Service is working to make screening as smooth as possible. Our bag restriction and prohibited items list remains the same,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

There were several federal office buildings and Smithsonian Museum buildings near the National Mall where guests are being told they can wait out the storm.<\/p>\n

The Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Internal Revenue Service, VOA Building, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, the African American Museum, and the Ronald Reagan Building were listed as available for shelter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Read more 8 shot, including 4 kids, while watching fireworks in Brooklyn: sources<\/a><\/p>\n

The capitol is under a severe thunderstorm warning until 10 pm ET.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Washington DC\u2019s National Mall has been shut down and people are being evacuated as a massive storm approaches the city.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-news"],"yoast_head":"\nDC's National Mall evacuated as storms move in before Trump's speech - but hundreds refuse to leave - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3711\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DC's National Mall evacuated as storms move in before Trump's speech - 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