US President Donald Trump will head to Washington DC’s National Mall on Saturday for what he has billed as a “spectacular rally” celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
The event, taking place as a sweltering heatwave grips swathes of the eastern and central US, will include flyovers by hundreds of aircraft and a fireworks display organisers hope will be the biggest of all time.
Military flyovers over Washington DC will happen every hour between 13:15 local time (17:15 GMT) and sunset, the organisers said, and Trump’s new Air Force One will feature in one of the formations over the capital.
The president, however, has been accused by opponents of politicising the nation’s anniversary event and several music acts dropped out soon after being announced.
Extremely hot, humid temperatures of approximately 38C (100F) and a later-than-anticipated start time may also have an impact on the size of the crowd that attends.
There is also the potential for evening thunderstorms that could disrupt the events, which have been organised by a White House-backed public-private partnership.
President Trump used a speech on the eve of Independence Day to claim that American identity is under threat from what he called domestic “radicals” and “extremists”.
Speaking at the the Mount Rushmore national monument in South Dakota on Friday, the president warned of a resurgence of what he called “the communist menace” and “newcomers” who embraced ideas opposed to the American way of life.
His comments reflect a growing political line of attack ahead of the November mid-term elections, with Republicans seeking to brand Democrats as communists.
The Washington DC event, formally known as the Salute to America 250 Celebrations & Fireworks – is due to begin at 19:00 local time, with Trump expected to speak a few hours later at approximately 21:45.
He has promised to make a “really long speech” at the Fourth of July festivities, despite the heatwave, “to show that I can do anything”.
Other events that were scheduled for earlier on Saturday have been cancelled due to forecast high temperatures.
