The Dictatorship
PHOTOS…
President Donald Trump commemorated the 250th anniversary of America’s independence after storms prompted a roughly two-hour evacuation of the National Mall, with severe weather disrupting celebrations in several East Coast cities. People in cities including Chicago and New York celebrated with fireworks and music.
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
People sing the National Anthem at Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
People sing the National Anthem at Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at the Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at the Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks during Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
People watch fireworks at Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, early Sunday, July 5, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People watch fireworks at Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, early Sunday, July 5, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Attendees outside the National Mall following a weather delay announcement at the National mall during an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Attendees outside the National Mall following a weather delay announcement at the National mall during an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
People watch fireworks at Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Sunday, July 5, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People watch fireworks at Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Sunday, July 5, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive after severe weather caused a delay in the Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive after severe weather caused a delay in the Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A bolt of lighting strikes as fireworks are set off of the Brooklyn Bridge, as seen from Bayonne, N.J., Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
A bolt of lighting strikes as fireworks are set off of the Brooklyn Bridge, as seen from Bayonne, N.J., Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
People arrive for a Salute to America Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive for a Salute to America Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The Salute to America stage is empty after the area was evacuated because of incoming storms at the Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Salute to America stage is empty after the area was evacuated because of incoming storms at the Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
An attendee asks questions to U.S. Park Police officers as they evacuate attendees due to severe weather during a Salute to America Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
An attendee asks questions to U.S. Park Police officers as they evacuate attendees due to severe weather during a Salute to America Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
People look on during an Independence Day parade Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Coronado, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
People look on during an Independence Day parade Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Coronado, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Tall ships parade under flyovers during the International Parade of Sail, part of Sail250, a gathering of tall ships and military ships, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Tall ships parade under flyovers during the International Parade of Sail, part of Sail250, a gathering of tall ships and military ships, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Military personnel salute from the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in the New York harbor during The International Naval Review, ahead of Sail250, a gathering of tall ships and military ships honoring America’s 250th Anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Military personnel salute from the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in the New York harbor during The International Naval Review, ahead of Sail250, a gathering of tall ships and military ships honoring America’s 250th Anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New U.S. citizen and twice-deployed U.S. Marine Sgt. Diakaria Sangare, from Guinea, poses for a portrait following the naturalization ceremony on Independence Day at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Alexandria, Va. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
New U.S. citizen and twice-deployed U.S. Marine Sgt. Diakaria Sangare, from Guinea, poses for a portrait following the naturalization ceremony on Independence Day at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Alexandria, Va. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
A New York Fire Department vessel sprays its water cannons in the New York harbor during ahead of Sail250, a gathering of tall ships and military ships honoring America’s 250th Anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
A New York Fire Department vessel sprays its water cannons in the New York harbor during ahead of Sail250, a gathering of tall ships and military ships honoring America’s 250th Anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
A participant wearing a period dress draped in a U.S. flag attends the annual Festa Americana, where descendants of American immigrants in Brazil celebrate their U.S. heritage and mark Independence Day, in Santa Barbara d’Oeste, Brazil, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ettore Chiereguini)
A participant wearing a period dress draped in a U.S. flag attends the annual Festa Americana, where descendants of American immigrants in Brazil celebrate their U.S. heritage and mark Independence Day, in Santa Barbara d’Oeste, Brazil, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Ettore Chiereguini)
Members of the Young Marines stand at attention before an Independence Day parade Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Coronado, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Members of the Young Marines stand at attention before an Independence Day parade Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Coronado, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
People participate in a Limbo contest as they wait for the National Mall to reopen after being evacuated due to weather during Independence Day events honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
People participate in a Limbo contest as they wait for the National Mall to reopen after being evacuated due to weather during Independence Day events honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
People raise their hats while dancing during celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
People raise their hats while dancing during celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
The Mother Ukraine Monument is illuminated in the colors of the U.S. flag in honor of the American 250th Independence Day, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
The Mother Ukraine Monument is illuminated in the colors of the U.S. flag in honor of the American 250th Independence Day, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Children line up to watch an Independence Day parade, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Deforest, Wis. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
Children line up to watch an Independence Day parade, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Deforest, Wis. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
Joey Chestnut wins the 2026 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Anna Connors)
Joey Chestnut wins the 2026 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Anna Connors)
People watch as a truck blows red, white and blue confetti during an Independence Day parade, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Deforest, Wis. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
People watch as a truck blows red, white and blue confetti during an Independence Day parade, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Deforest, Wis. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man walks past a projection of the American flag on the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, Sunday, July 5, 2026, displayed in honor of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man walks past a projection of the American flag on the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, Sunday, July 5, 2026, displayed in honor of the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Guests dressed in American flag-themed clothes attend Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Guests dressed in American flag-themed clothes attend Salute to America, an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Fireworks over the National Mall during an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fireworks over the National Mall during an Independence Day event honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)