Trump teases long July Fourth address as America celebrates landmark anniversary

President Donald Trump visited the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota on Wednesday and told spectators that he planned to deliver a long speech for the Fourth of July. This week is full of reflection on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, he said. It will be 107 degrees, and Trump said he planned to give a really long speech just to show he can do anything.

The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning for the Washington, D.C., area this weekend, with the heat index expected somewhere between 110 and 113 degrees each afternoon. Meteorologists expected most of the central and eastern United States to experience dangerous and record-breaking heat throughout the weekend.

What else is planned in D.C. this weekend? An hourslong July Fourth extravaganza scheduled for the Washington Monument lawn will begin just after 1 p.m. EST, with musical performances and military flyovers, according to Freedom 250, a task force created by the Trump administration to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The live broadcast will begin around 7 p.m. EST with national speakers and the Joint Armed Forces Orchestra. Trump will speak before the 40-minute fireworks show, which is advertised to be the largest display in history. A total of 850,000 fireworks shells will launch from nearly a dozen sites, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, several Potomac River barges, and West Potomac Park, according to Freedom 250.

Separately, America250 published a map showing the network of state and territory commissions, partners, and sponsors hosting events throughout the nation to celebrate.  The network map included historic commemorations, educational experiences, and other local celebrations honoring the anniversary, according to America250. America250 is a bipartisan, congressionally mandated nonprofit formed in 2016 to create educational opportunities to celebrate the anniversary.

Leaders also aimed to make the semiquincentennial a record year of volunteer service and encouraged people to use the America Gives section of the website to find nearby volunteer opportunities. America250 also created America’s Soundtrack, a collection of music with artists and genres that combine to create the diverse soundtrack of the nation.

Dig deeper: Read Juliana Chan Erikson’s in WORLD Magazine about the dueling committees vying for America’s semiquincentennial attention.