WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump stated he overruled a recommendation to cancel a July 4 event on the National Mall due to severe weather. The event, titled "Salute to America," proceeded with his address delivered at 11 p.m. EDT, after an initial 9:45 p.m. EDT schedule.

"The Crowd at 7:05 in the evening was 422,000 people," Trump said. He added, "All were forced to leave because of the weather, the event was cancelled, and everyone was gone because of lightning." Following the reported cancellation, Trump stated, "When I heard that it was cancelled, I immediately overturned that decision, and waited a while for people to come back."

Trump stated that 150,000 people returned to hear his address and watch the fireworks. In preparation for the event, National Guard soldiers flipped over tables and escorted visitors and journalists to nearby museums for shelter as a storm approached. The Secret Service had also adjusted the event's start time to shield participants from high temperatures earlier in the day.

Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said, "There's never an event when you have to move more than 100,000 people on short notice, that it doesn't cause some type of bump in the road." An official stated that President Trump pledged to speak as late as 2:00 a.m. EDT if necessary. Trump said, "Congratulations to the Secret Service and Law Enforcement on being able to get so many people back into the Arena in such rapid fashion."

A large-scale fireworks show took place after the delayed address. Trump remarked, "It was an amazing evening made even more spectacular by the fact that, immediately after the Great Fireworks ended, the rains came down, full blast." The "Great American State Fair" event on July 4 saw 34 participants hospitalized for heat exhaustion.