What to know today
• America 250: Fourth of July celebrations are taking place across the nation as the United States turns 250. Weeks of events in Washington, DC, will culminate this evening in an extravagant fireworks show and an address from President Donald Trump, who also spoke yesterday at Mount Rushmore.
• Weather updates: We’re in the final stretch of an intense eastern US heat wave, which is fueling an added storm threat. A parade in the nation’s capital was canceled this morning due to extreme heat and the Great American State Fair is opening two hours late. Events have been altered or canceled in cities and small towns along the East Coast.
• Complicated backdrop: Trump has unmistakably put his mark on America 250 festivities and billed his rally on the National Mall as an “unforgettable birthday party.” But the holiday comes with mixed feelings for many Americans facing stubborn cost-of-living issues, the war with Iran and a polarizing presidency.
Blue Angels streak over New York Harbor with trails of red, white and blue smoke
The US Navy’s Blue Angels flight team flew over New York Harbor this morning as part of the Sail4th 250 festivities.
The fighter jets left a trail of red, white and blue smoke as they soared past the New York skyline.
Volunteer discovers rare copy of America’s founding document in British archive
As Fourth of July celebrations kick off in the United States, a recent discovery across the pond in the United Kingdom has sparked excitement among historians and museum-goers.
A “vanishingly rare” copy of the Declaration of Independence, the only one of its kind outside the US, has been discovered by a volunteer archivist at Britain’s National Archives in west London, according to the UK’s PA Media news agency.
The document — a rare 1776 printing from Exeter, New Hampshire, produced to spread news of independence across other British colonies — has been hidden within the archive for centuries, PA Media reported.
“I came across this document, unfolded it, and it had in big letters on the top: Declaration,” volunteer Michael Scurr told the agency, adding that he had to keep the discovery secret for weeks as the document was analyzed by historians.
What to know about the 4th of July storm threat in the DC metro area
As if the extreme heat wasn’t enough, severe storms may also put spectators and festival-goers at risk. The Storm Prediction Center has increased the threat level for severe storms to level 3 out of 5 for the Washington, DC, Baltimore and Arlington, Virginia, area today.
The key timeline for these storms will be late this afternoon and through the evening hours. These will be thunderstorms with lightning and the potential for strong winds gusting over 55 mph — and even a few gusts up to 75 mph.
While the threat is lower, New York, Philadelphia and Boston also have the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.
Sweltering temps halt holiday parades up and down the East Coast
Numerous Independence Day parades across the mid-Atlantic have been canceled due to extreme heat, including in Cape May, New Jersey, where people decorate golf carts and bicycles with patriotic trim for an annual parade along the ocean.
Other communities modified plans due to the heat. York County, Pennsylvania, postponed its “History Made Here Cultural Fair” but is planning to hold a bell-ringing celebration on Saturday. Annapolis, Maryland, shortened its parade route due to the heat and Collingswood, New Jersey, offered a modified bike parade route option and added an ice cream truck at the end of the route.
New Jersey’s state capital, Trenton, postponed its parade and festival, saying it would come up with a new date.
Officials in Takoma Park, Maryland, where a parade and street party were canceled, said parading “is particularly risky” in this heat. Other parades were called off in Leesburg and Warrenton, Virginia.
Some Saturday morning events in the region went forward, taking advantage of the relative cool early in the day. North Wildwood, New Jersey, held its annual “patriotic pooch parade” before the heat peaked.
Towns up and down the East Coast said after-dark fireworks performances would take place as planned.
In Cape May, where the parade cancellation was announced on Facebook, some residents and visitors posted comments bemoaning the decision, while others called it a responsible decision.
Catch up on Trump's Independence Day eve speech at Mount Rushmore
President Donald Trump gave a speech at Mount Rushmore last night, warning that communism is America’s biggest threat and taking aim at his political rivals as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.
If you missed it, CNN’s Jeff Zeleny broke down the president’s Independence Day eve address:
President Trump gave a speech at Mount Rushmore on the eve of Independence Day, warning that communism is America's biggest threat and taking aim at his political rivals as the nation begins celebrating its 250th anniversary. Jeff Zeleny reports.
King Charles touts US-UK relationship in letter to Trump
The United Kingdom’s King Charles, in a letter to President Donald Trump today, recognized how the relationship between his country and the US has evolved through history — from America’s independence from Britain 250 years ago to their modern-day alliance.
He added: “As we look ahead to the next 250 years, I have no doubt we will continue to defend our shared values.”
The British Embassy in Washington, meanwhile, posted a lighthearted message on social media describing the US as the “greatest ex we ever had,” along with a photo that imagines the US text messaging to the UK the text of the Declaration of Independence, meant to read as a breakup text.
Revolutionary War reenactors dispel common myths
Looking to brush up on your trivia and get your US history facts straight before your barbecue today? Revolutionary War reenactors are here to help:
History Factcheck: July 2nd is a pretty important date if we're looking at Revolutionary History as more than just a patriotic celebration. That was just one of three favorite myths and missed details that reenactors in Massachusetts were eager to share with CNN.
DC air quality will be "very unhealthy" today
The air quality in the Washington, DC, and northern Virginia is forecasted to reach a “very unhealthy” level today, as the region grapples with extreme heat and prepares for what the Trump administration hopes to be a record-setting fireworks show.
According to the US Air Quality Index, the air quality in suburban Maryland, right outside of the nation’s capital, will also be impacted. An “unhealthy” forecast has been issued for the area.
Maryland’s Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Kisha Davis told CNN that the heat will lead to poor quality throughout the day and the fireworks will make it worse.
But if people must be outdoors, these are her suggestions:
- Take frequent breaks
- Stay hydrated
- Stay in the cool
- Wear sunscreen
- Pay attention to the direction of the fireworks and watch them upwind
- N95 masks for at-risk groups, including elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory conditions
As of 9 am ET, air quality in DC, northern Virginia and suburban Maryland was “moderate.”
The fireworks show in DC is expected to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest firework display, as nearly 850,000 fireworks shells will be launched from 10 sites spanning the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Potomac River barges and West Potomac Park.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that internal National Park Service documents recognized that fireworks would greatly impact air quality. The documents suggested that people should limit exposure to the pollution and recommended that those watching the fireworks outdoors wear N95 masks.
NPS did not provide a comment about the internal documents when reached by CNN.
The capital's July 4 extravaganza poses complex security challenges
Law enforcement agencies have had to balance shifting schedules and competing demands in the days leading up to the July Fourth holiday in Washington, DC, multiple officials told CNN.
A schedule of events released by planners features flyovers every hour starting this afternoon, alongside daylong programming that culminates with a speech from President Donald Trump and a fireworks show.
The Secret Service is leading and managing the July Fourth event, along with the FBI, Metropolitan Police, and other federal and local police. It will be juggling security for Trump’s airshow and the continued “Great American State Fair” set up on the National Mall.
Agencies will also be helping protect several other celebrations across the US, including in Boston, California, Pennsylvania and New York.
Federal authorities have already been stretched thin this month, providing extensive security measures in cities hosting World Cup matches. Two federal officials briefed on the matter told CNN those deployments have delayed federal responses to incidents around the US, including bomb threats and other emergency calls.
Despite concerns that tonight could be a potential target for an attempt on Trump’s life or other attack, the nation’s capital is uniquely well positioned to secure large-scale events, several officials involved in the planning told CNN.
Recent incidents: The day after the White House kicked off celebrations for America’s 250th birthday with a UFC fight on the South Lawn, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that law enforcement had thwarted a plot to attack the event using drones and snipers to target Trump and others.
And in April, a man armed with a shotgun plotted what prosecutors say was an assassination attempt on Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The man was able to rush through Secret Service security, shooting one officer before being detained, prosecutors say.
Former President Bill Clinton reflects on America's 250th in a "period of deep division"
At the dawn of America’s 250th anniversary, former President Bill Clinton released a critical but optimistic take on the state of the nation.
In 1776, the country’s founders “embarked on a radical experiment and declared a new nation rooted in the ideal of equality,” the statement read. “At every turn, there have been forces of reaction seeking to claw back the extension of our rights and liberties to more people.”
While not mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Clinton took a swipe at “the people in charge,” including their unleashing of “masked agents on American communities,” the start of an “unconstitutional war” and the weaponization of government “to settle personal scores, prosecute enemies, stamp out free speech, and (make) the federal government a new profit center for themselves and their allies” with “the help of lifetime appointees to the Supreme Court and a compliant Congress.”
Clinton outlined his hope for the future, echoing his first inaugural address from 1993: “There is still nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what’s right with America,” he said, praising people “lining up to vote, no matter how hard some may try to prevent them,” those “bringing groceries to their neighbors,” people “donating to charities in record numbers” and immigrants, “eager to bring their talents, hard work, and dreams to our country.”
Clinton will celebrate “the miracle that has brought us this far,” he said, “because I love my country so much.”
Sweltering heat disrupts Fourth of July celebrations in DC
An extreme heat wave in the eastern US is putting a damper on July Fourth celebrations in Washington, DC, with organizers for the Great American State Fair announcing the event will open at 12 p.m. ET today instead of 10 a.m.
It comes after the fair — a 16-day exhibition showcasing the culture of US states and territories on the National Mall — shut down for several hours yesterday amid temperatures that, combined with the humidity, reached triple digits.
Fourth of July weekend plans may be disrupted by scorching heat and a risk of strong thunderstorms.
A spokesperson for DC Fire & EMS said emergency responders had 44 “patient contacts” at the fair before it paused yesterday, though it’s unclear how many of those were for heat-related issues. CNN’s Derek Van Dam, who’s been covering the event, reported the fairgrounds offered little shade with few trees or other protection, with some attendees relying on umbrellas for relief.
Meanwhile, organizers for an America 250 Independence Day Parade, which was set for 10:30 a.m. in Washington, DC, said last night it has been canceled because of the heat. “This decision was made after extensive consultation with the National Park Service, the District of Columbia City Government and Freedom 250 and careful consideration of the safety of our participants, spectators, and staff as the top priority,” organizers wrote in a news release.
A concert featuring several artists at the Wharf has been postponed. The first artist was scheduled to perform at 5 pm ET but the event will now start at 7 pm ET.
The parade is separate from the Trump-backed Freedom 250 celebrations.
DC faces yet another triple-digit high temperature today and may see its hottest Fourth of July ever recorded, along with the threat of scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening because of the humidity.
Organizers for the Great American State Fair, and the coinciding FIFA Fan Zone on the Mall, are encouraging guests to stay hydrated, and are distributing water throughout the site, along with providing other resources like cooling areas.
CNN’s Rashard Rose, Brian Todd and Alisha Ebrahimji contributed to this report.
Proud to be an American? There's a partisan divide in responses
On the country’s 250th birthday, whether you’re proud of the stars and stripes may increasingly be a question of your political leanings.
CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten breaks down the numbers from a poll asking people whether they’re proud to be an American:
More than 30 flyovers will roar over Washington for July 4th
More than 30 military flyovers are set to thunder over Washington, DC, as nearly every branch of the US military joins President Donald Trump’s push for a sweeping 250th birthday spectacle.
The daylong air show is set to be one of the biggest visual centerpieces of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration, bringing together military aircraft, elite demonstration teams and ceremonial jumps over Washington in a made-for-television display of patriotic pageantry.
The flyovers will begin just after 1 p.m. ET with a NASA Northrop F-5 jet and will continue about every 10 to 20 minutes over about nine hours.
Also performing flyovers will be the military’s top two flight demonstration teams — the US Navy’s Blue Angels and the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds. The US Marine Corps and Coast Guard will also participate in their own demonstrations
President Donald Trump’s new plane for Air Force One, received as a $400 million gift from the Qatari government, will fly over the city just after 7 p.m.
The US Army’s Golden Knights will participate in a twilight jump before a more than two-hour break when Trump is expected to deliver an address from the National Mall.
One final flyover — featuring a B-1 heavy bomber — will take place after the president’s speech followed by what organizers say will be the world’s biggest fireworks show.
An extreme heat wave is in its final stretch as celebrations get underway. Catch up here
America’s 250th birthday marks the final stretch of one of the most intense eastern US heat waves in years — one made worse by climate change — and it could fuel an added storm threat.
Dangerous heat is on the guest list at every Fourth of July celebration in the region, with high temperatures in the 90s and low 100s forecast from New England into the Southeast. Today will likely be the third consecutive day of triple-digit temperatures for major metros like Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Events canceled or delayed: The July Fourth parade set for this morning in Washington, DC, was canceled due to extreme heat in the nation’s capital. President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair is opening two hours late at 12 p.m.
Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Raleigh, North Carolina, are among the other major cities that have shortened parade routes, opened cooling centers or taken additional precautions.
🥵 Get your heat forecast on CNN Weather for iPhone
Heat-related illness and death: A 68-year old man died after trimming bushes on July 2 in Bethel Township, Pennsylvania, where high temperatures passed 100 degrees, the Berks County Coroner’s Office told CNN. The cause of death was a heart attack from strain due to heat exhaustion, the office said. The CDC reported “extremely high rates of heat-related illness” in regions across the Northeast on Thursday.
Power outages and air quality issues: Thousands of customers in the New York metro area were without power Friday and Saturday morning, according to local utility Con Edison. Some of the outages were shutdowns to prevent extended outages.
With an oppressive heat dome lingering over the eastern US, millions could face a double dose of unhealthy air. Fireworks from formal rocket shows to impromptu street celebrations can create extremely unhealthy air quality, sometimes rivaling what comes from wildfires. In some cities, air quality often doesn’t return to normal until around noon the next day.
Storm potential: Thunderstorms could be another uninvited guest this Independence Day. Extreme heat and humidity will fuel a storm threat for parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast beginning Saturday afternoon.
Photos: America celebrates its 250th birthday
It’s Fourth of July weekend in the United States — and this one is special, as Americans mark the nation’s 250th birthday.
Complicating matters, however, is a dangerous heat wave that has been shattering records, straining the electric grid and raising the risk for millions of people who choose to celebrate outdoors.
We’ll be tracking events and the weather as Americans gather around the country today. Here’s a look at some celebrations that have already taken place in the run-up to Saturday’s big finale:
