Storm forces evacuation at Washington's National Mall during Trump's July 4th celebration

Severe thunderstorms moving toward Washington forced organizers to evacuate events at the National Mall on Saturday during President Trump's 250th-anniversary rally.

The Freedom 250 event organizers ordered participants to seek shelter at nearby museums and federal buildings shortly after 7 p.m. ET. Washington's metro system also opened several underground stations for shelter. The U.S. Secret Service temporarily closed security checkpoints ahead of Trump's speech, which was scheduled to begin around 10 p.m.

Despite the disruptions in Washington, fireworks proceeded in other cities including Chicago and New York, where tall ships passed the Statue of Liberty—recalling the fanfare around America's 200th anniversary in 1976. The milestone holiday had been drawing crowds for months, but the East Coast sweltered under heat that approached and often surpassed triple digits, complicating celebrations across multiple cities.