This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
On a sweltering Fourth of July, thousands of people poured into Washington to celebrate the nation's birthday among the monuments and memorials to its history. The festivities promised to be stamped with President Trump's personal brand, with JumboTron screens set to display his remarks for the crowd in the evening.
Inside the secure area near the Lincoln Memorial, where Mr. Trump planned to hold his 'Salute to America,' several thousand people had camped out several hours ahead of the president's speech. Many wore 'Make America Great Again' hats and decked in red, white, and blue.
Outside of the secure area, on the other end of the National Mall, where PBS would be holding its annual Fourth of July concert, there appeared to be far fewer Trump supporters. The president's red MAGA hats were hard to find, and Trump 2020 T-shirts were nowhere to be found.
As the day turned out to be no different from a typical July day in Washington, steamy and hot in the morning, followed by periods of storms, crowds sought shelter as rain rolled in. Forecasts suggested a continuing chance of thunderstorms in the evening, when Mr. Trump was to take the stage in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Organizers had assembled a display of military might, with two M1A2 Abrams tanks and the M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles on display. However, the vehicles appeared to be inside the V.I.P. section behind a chain-link fence, disappointing the president's supporters.
Mr. Trump's speech was set to include military leaders, though not everyone he requested would be there. The Pentagon had been given only a few days' notice that Trump wanted all the Joint Chiefs of Staff and all the service secretaries by his side.
White House officials said President Trump planned a nonpolitical speech that honors the American military and celebrates the country's 243rd birthday. However, Mr. Trump is hardly known for sticking to the script at his 'Make America Great Again' rallies, and it remained to be seen whether he would treat his Fourth of July address differently.
