President Trump wants to hold the largest Fourth of July celebration that Washington has seen. But two months from the date, there’s no decision on whether Trump will give a live address to throngs of supporters at the Lincoln Memorial, as he originally intended.
There’s no verdict on what musical acts or speakers would join him. And there’s no decision on whether there will be an Independence Day parade, though Trump would like one. And because of the many uncertainties, there’s no estimate of security needs or costs.
Officials say that while key decisions have not been made, potentially depressing turnout among Trump supporters, there are active discussions underway.
A grand vision was announced in a presidential tweet on Feb. 24. “HOLD THE DATE!” Trump wrote, saying there would be a Lincoln Memorial event called “A Salute to America” that would feature a “fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!”
Trump wrote it would be “one of the biggest gatherings in the history of Washington, D.C.,” and at a cabinet meeting that month, he enlisted Interior Secretary David Bernhardt to lead planning. “David, you’re taking care of that, and we’ll see how it works out with schedules and everything else,” Trump said.
But since February, few details have emerged, and officials say that’s because decisions have not yet been made.
“While no final decisions have been made, we continue to work on creating a Salute to America program that will bring Americans from all over the country together in celebration of our great nation,” said Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Park Service, a branch of the Interior Department.
The National Park Service, Litterst said, “has been the organizer of the Fourth of July events on the National Mall for decades and we are working with the White House to incorporate the Salute to America elements into the plans for the day. But the announcement about specific details and what it will entail will come from the White House.”
The Park Service hosts an annual entertainment event near the U.S. Capitol and an annual fireworks display near the Lincoln Memorial, meaning White House plans could be, to an extent, plugged into an existing template.
White House spokesman Judd Deere expressed confidence in the progress.
“President Trump loves America and wants to help all Americans celebrate our nation’s independence on July 4,” Deere said. “The White House, along with the National Park Service and the Department of Interior, continue to make preparations for the day’s activities.”
But decisions need to be made soon.
Larry Johnson, a retired Secret Service agent who helped secure large events for Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, said there would be significant challenges with a Lincoln Memorial address and that time is required for multi-agency coordination.
“If they haven’t announced if it’s on or not yet, they have to fairly soon,” Johnson said. “With White House staff, the military, the Metropolitan Police Department, there would be a lot of logistics involved.”
Johnson said at least three or four weeks are required to adequately plan.
A Trump speech at the Lincoln Memorial would require security similar to an inauguration, Johnson said. A large area needs to be secured beforehand, and then authorities need to establish a perimeter with magnetic sensors to ensure that Trump is out of rifle range. The zone could extend to the slight hill around the Washington Monument, Johnson said.
It takes a significant amount of time to scan visitors, Johnson said, meaning there would have to be many checkpoints or a very early wand-in time for visitors.
In one potential unintended silver lining of announcing the details on short notice, there are also no major organized protests planned, though activists have considered a 51-foot inflatable joint with a blunt message for the commander in chief.
Trump’s decision to commandeer annual July Fourth celebrations in Washington drew comparisons to the 1970 “Honor America Day” festivities put on at the Lincoln Memorial by supporters of then-President Richard Nixon. The organizers felt America needed a July Fourth pep rally, but anti-war, pro-marijuana activists shoved vehicles into the Reflecting Pool and approached the event stage, some fully nude.
“The entire crowd hopped into the pool and walked past the police,” recalled Dana Beal, an organizer of the 1970 protest. “Three times the cops came in and dispersed us, but eventually they couldn’t disperse us because people came to watch the fireworks and it was too crowded.”
Trump previously has sought to stage grandiose events that didn’t pan out, most notably a military parade on Veterans Day last year. He abandoned the plan after cost estimates of about $100 million.
