US marks its 250th birthday with fireworks, flyovers and extreme weather

Image source, REUTERS/Evan Vucci Image caption, People watch a fireworks display at a Fourth of July rally featuring U.S. President Donald Trump at the National Mall in Washington. By Bernd Debusmann Jr , Reporting from at the Washington National Mall  and  Nardine Saad , Reporting from Los Angeles Published 4 minutes ago The United States of America marked its 250th birthday with fireworks, flyovers, some intense weather across the country, much of which has broiled under an unforgiving heat wave for days. "The American dream is back," US President Donald Trump told a cheering crowd at a delayed rally on the National Mall in Washington before the reputed largest fireworks display ever in the US lit up the night. The 4 July federal holiday commemorates the 13 US colonies signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to end British rule. The sharply divided country has seen Trump criticised for making himself central to the milestone and politicising it by launching Freedom 250 celebrations, which are separate from congressionally established America 250 events. Image source, REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Image caption, People gather ahead of a Fourth of July rally featuring U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Trump's remarks - where he hit on recent political themes of rejecting communism, Save America Act legislation he favors and the right to bear arms - wrapped up just before midnight at the Freedom 250 event. Upon closing, he told the crowd, "this is only the dawn of the golden age of America" with its destiny "written by God". The celebration, which included a flyover - one featuring the new Air Force One jet - a concert, and fireworks as well as the speech was delayed by a thunderstorm that forced an evacuation of the National Mall in the early evening. 'Separate in name and power': How America reinvented English Trump's new take on 250 years of American expansionism Trump presidency reignites its founding debate - how much power is too much? Americans are celebrating their split from Britain - how is the UK marking it? Freedom 250 asked guests in the area attending Salute to America, the Great American State Fair and Fifa fan zone events to seek temporary shelter in a nearby buildings. Throughout the day, the capital had broiled under 100F (37C) temperatures - part of a larger heat wave enveloping the eastern US. Also in Washingon, about 400 members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front were seen carrying US flags while marching in unison through the streets of the capital. Videos posted to social media and the group's own Telegram channel showed the masked, uniformed members marching near the Capitol building and Union Station, the city's main passenger rail hub. The group was founded in 2017 following violence at the "Unite the Right" rally in Virginia, breaking off from another group. Image source, REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Image caption, U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a Fourth of July rally Im