'I'll show I can do anything,' Trump says

Washington forecast to hit around 40 degrees Celsius on Independence Day

850,000 fireworks, air show expected to draw massive crowds

President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks at the dedication ceremony for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre in Medora, North Dakota, on Tuesday (local time). [Reuters]
President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks at the dedication ceremony for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre in Medora, North Dakota, on Tuesday (local time). [Reuters]

By Seo Ji-yeon, The Herald Business

President Donald Trump has announced he will deliver a lengthy speech at Washington's celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary on Independence Day, even as temperatures are forecast to approach 40 degrees Celsius.

The National Weather Service issued a heat warning for the Washington, D.C., area from Wednesday through Friday. Temperatures reached a high of 38 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, and forecasters expect the heat to climb to 39 degrees on Thursday and remain in the 39–40 degree range on Independence Day, Friday.

Trump is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at around 9:45 p.m. at the National Mall in Washington as part of the celebration organized by Freedom 250, the Trump administration's body overseeing the nation's 250th anniversary festivities.

Speaking in North Dakota on Wednesday, Trump said temperatures on July 4 would reach 107 degrees Fahrenheit — about 41.7 degrees Celsius — adding, "I'm going to make a very long speech to show that I can do anything."

The announcement is widely seen as an attempt by the 80-year-old president to demonstrate his physical stamina and fitness amid record heat.

Trump regularly delivers speeches lasting more than an hour, and how long he will speak Friday is drawing considerable attention.

The centerpiece of the celebration is a tribute event called "A Salute to America," to be held on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

The program includes Air Force formation flights, an air show, military band performances and a ceremonial guard display before Trump takes the stage, with a large fireworks show set to begin at 10:30 p.m.

Organizers plan to launch about 850,000 fireworks over 40 minutes in a bid to set a Guinness World Record.

Trump had previously promoted the event by calling it a "Trump rally," saying it would be "a speech you will not want to miss."

However, American media have raised growing concerns about heat-related illness and safety incidents, as hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the outdoor event in record-breaking temperatures.


sjy@heraldcorp.com