Donald Trump used his Freedom 250 speech on the Fourth of July to boast about U.S. military successes against Iran and Venezuela, declaring that their armed forces had been 'wiped out.' The address, delivered in Washington D.C., was delayed by nearly two hours after severe storms forced the evacuation of the National Mall.
Trump's Military Claims
During the speech, Trump said: 'You look at Venezuela, you look at Iran, we wiped it out. We wiped out their military.' He also referenced a recent naval engagement, stating: 'Our recent victory... sinking the entire Iranian ships to the bottom of the sea. All done in just a moment's time, happened very quickly. We have the greatest military anywhere in the world.'
The president boasted: 'We're doing better now than we ever have before. All over the world they try to be like us - no-one can be like us. Live free or die.' He also attacked communism, calling it 'like a cancer' and asserting 'you have to cut it out fast.'
Evacuation and Weather Disruption
Severe weather disrupted celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary of independence, prompting a roughly two-hour evacuation of the National Mall. The Secret Service yelled 'move, move, move' to encourage attendees to seek shelter. Trump, however, was undeterred, posting on social media: 'I’m not going to let some rain stop our 250th.'
Once the storm passed, the event resumed, and Trump delivered his remarks to a crowd that chanted 'USA, USA, USA' throughout. He also brought out numerous war veterans and historical flags, and spoke about protecting the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
