Donald Trump's Fourth of July speech on Saturday was anticlimactic and boring, failing to deliver a historic address despite a dramatic four-hour delay caused by lightning. The event, held on the National Mall in Washington, saw the president stick mostly to a scripted teleprompter speech, but he occasionally veered into personal grievances and exaggerated claims.
Trump began by claiming 375,000 people attended before the evacuation due to weather, later revising the figure to 150,000, a statement widely seen as exaggerated. He also complained about his legal treatment, saying, 'I was not treated that well,' while extolling American freedoms.
The speech included boasts about military victories, including a claim that the US 'sank the entire Iranian navy' with 159 ships, and a push for voter ID laws under the 'Save America Act.' Trump's address was framed by a stage between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, with a backdrop of a presidential seal.
Observers noted the speech lacked the grandeur of historical addresses like the Gettysburg Address or Kennedy's inaugural, instead featuring Trump's typical grievances and self-praise. The event was described as a 'sad spectacle' that proved big birthdays can be anticlimactic.
