D.C. holiday salute to U.S. draws crowds

Some wear masks, isolateamid flyovers, fireworks

Guests wait for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Guests wait for President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a "Salute to America" event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON -- People wandered the National Mall and took refuge from the heat under shade from scattered trees while music wafted from a party on the White House South Lawn at the "Salute to America" celebration.

A speech by the president, a military air show and a fireworks display rounded out the day's events.

The crowds on the Mall were strikingly thinner than the one gathered for last year's jammed celebration. Many who showed up wore masks as cases from the coronavirus continued to rise.

But not Pat Lee of Upper Dublin, Pa., or the two friends she was with, one a nurse from Fredericksburg, Va., whose only headgear was a "Make America Great Again" hat.

"POTUS said it would go away," Lee said of the pandemic, using an acronym for president of the United States. "Masks, I think, are like a hoax." But she said she wore one in the Trump International Hotel, where she stayed.

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By the World War II Memorial, the National Park Service handed out packets of white cloth masks to all who wanted them, though people were not required to wear them.

Another nurse, Zippy Watt from Riverside, Calif., was there to see the air show and fireworks with her husband and their two daughters, one of whom lives in Washington. They wore matching American flag masks even when seated together on a park bench.

"We chose to wear a mask to protect ourselves and others," Watt said. She said her family was divided on President Donald Trump, but she is "more of a Trump supporter. Being from southern Cali, I see socialist tendencies. I'm tired of paying taxes so others can stay home."

At the White House, several hundred guests assembled on the South Lawn, gathering around tables decorated with flowers and small U.S. flags as a military rock band played. Most guests were unmasked.

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Trump's guests were doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and military members, as well as officials from the administration, said Judd Deere, deputy White House press secretary. He said the event was a tribute to the "tremendous courage and spirit" of front-line workers and the public in the pandemic.

Guests were asked to socially distance.

Trump, speaking from the South Lawn on the 244th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, reprised themes from a speech he delivered in South Dakota the day before, by lashing out at those protesting statues of certain historical figures and other symbols they say celebrate racial injustice.

"We are now in the process of defeating the radical left: the Marxists, the anarchists, the agitators, the looters and people who in many instances have absolutely no clue what they are doing," Trump said. "We will never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues, erase our history, indoctrinate our children or trample on our freedoms."

Trump also used the event to rally supporters by reciting his achievements and blaming China for the spread of the coronavirus.

"China's secrecy, deceptions and cover-up allowed [the virus] to spread all over the world," Trump said in his 30-minute remarks. "China must be held fully accountable."

The president said the U.S. is doing "unbelievably well" in finding remedies for the virus and is doing "deep testing" on vaccines. He also praised the numbers of tests being administered in the U.S.

"We've made a lot of progress; our strategy has moved along well," Trump said.

With his wife, Melania, Trump watched a flyover of vintage and modern military aircraft, including members of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds. They returned to the White House balcony after sunset to watch a 35-minute fireworks display.

In many parts of the country, authorities discouraged mass gatherings for the holiday after days that have seen covid-19 cases grow at a rate not experienced even during the deadliest phase of the pandemic in the spring.

In New York, once the epicenter, people were urged to avoid crowds and Nathan's Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest happened at an undisclosed location without spectators, in advance of the evening's televised fireworks spectacular over the Empire State Building.

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In Philadelphia, mask- and glove-wearing descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence participated in a virtual tapping of the famed Liberty Bell on Independence Mall, and people were asked to join from afar by clinking glasses, tapping pots or ringing bells.

Even as Trump pushed ahead with celebrations, the shadow of the coronavirus loomed closer to him.

Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top fundraiser for the president and girlfriend of his eldest child, Donald Trump Jr., tested positive for the virus, Trump's campaign said late Friday. Guilfoyle tweeted Saturday that she was looking forward to "a speedy recovery."

BIDEN STATEMENT

Trump's Democratic rival, Joe Biden, said in a statement that the U.S. "never lived up" to its founding principle that "all men are created equal," but said today "we have a chance to rip the roots of systemic racism out of this country."

Trump's endorsement of big gatherings at the National Mall and at Mount Rushmore came as many communities decided to scrap fireworks, parades and other holiday traditions in hopes of avoiding yet more surges in infection.

Confirmed cases are climbing in 40 states, and the U.S. set another record Friday with more than 52,000 newly reported infections, according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioned that mass gatherings, like the one in Washington, present a high risk for spread of the virus. Yet Surgeon General Jerome Adams sidestepped when asked if he would caution a loved one against attending a large gathering. He said people should wear masks and otherwise make up their own minds.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said she didn't have the authority to shut down the holiday spectacle because it's on federal land. But she warned the federal government about the dangers of such a large crowd and told her constituents: "Just because someone invites you to a party doesn't mean you have to go."

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority said all indications were that crowds gathering to watch the fireworks "will be much lighter than in past years."

MASKS AVAILABLE

The federal government said that a supply of at least 300,000 masks would be available and distributed to people attending the celebration on the National Mall. More than 100 hand-washing stations were available, and attendees were encouraged to stay at least 6 feet away from others.

Coronavirus cases have fallen in Washington and surrounding areas in recent weeks, but there's concern about a potential resurgence, especially if people visit from areas where cases are running high.

White House officials defended the decision to hold Saturday's event. Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters Wednesday that "we need to celebrate independence."

"It's really a day to celebrate our military and veterans," Conway said, although the holiday marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

For Trump and the country, it was yet another holiday clouded by a pandemic that the U.S. has yet to get under control.

In late March, a little more than a week after he bowed to the need to shut down much of the country, Trump spoke of reopening with "packed" churches by Easter Sunday. He relented on that push as his medical advisers warned that it was far too ambitious.

With the Independence Day holiday, he told Americans that the nation is "getting close to fighting our way" back. His remarks were out of sync with officials in swaths of the South and West who are pulling back on reopening because of a surge of cases in their communities.

"A lot of things are happening that people don't quite see yet, but you'll see over the next couple of months," Trump said in a video message on Twitter.

ELSEWHERE IN THE U.S.

In Baltimore, protesters brought down a Christopher Columbus statue near the Little Italy neighborhood, dragging it to the edge of the Inner Harbor before rolling it into the water, the Baltimore Sun reported, as fireworks went off around the city.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned counties Saturday that they risked losing state money if they failed to enforced health orders over the holiday weekend. He urged residents not to gather with people they don't live with and to avoid crowds.

Fireworks shows in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and elsewhere in the state were canceled. Beach closures extended from Los Angeles County northward through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

To the south in Orange County, officials ordered hugely popular beaches such as Huntington and Newport closed Saturday and today.

In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, said he would not hesitate to close businesses that don't abide by capacity requirements. He, too, encouraged people to avoid large crowds.

In Florida, most populous county, Miami-Dade, closed beaches through the weekend, and south Florida municipalities from Vero Beach to Broward County did the same. Beaches in the Florida Keys were also closed.

And, in New York, about 150 preachers, rabbis and imams were framing their holiday sermons around the theme, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" That speech was delivered in Rochester, N.Y., 168 years ago by abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery.

Information for this article was contributed by Lynn Berry, Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, Michelle Liu and Sara Burnett of The Associated Press; and by Justin Sink and Mark Satter of Bloomberg News.

The White House (center) is obscured Saturday by red and blue smoke from fireworks on the Ellipse during a “Salute to America” event in Washington. More photos at arkansasonline.com/75july4/.
(AP/Alex Brandon)
The White House (center) is obscured Saturday by red and blue smoke from fireworks on the Ellipse during a “Salute to America” event in Washington. More photos at arkansasonline.com/75july4/. (AP/Alex Brandon)
A sign is posted at a closed entrance to the beach during the new coronavirus pandemic, Friday, July 3, 2020, in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach, Fla. Beaches throughout South Florida are closed for the busy Fourth of July weekend to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
A sign is posted at a closed entrance to the beach during the new coronavirus pandemic, Friday, July 3, 2020, in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach, Fla. Beaches throughout South Florida are closed for the busy Fourth of July weekend to avoid further spread of the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Jomar Gomez, 25, of Jamestown, N.Y., spends time for the July Fourth weekend at Beach 6, Presque Isle State Park, near Erie, Pa., Saturday, July 4, 2020. (Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News via AP)
Jomar Gomez, 25, of Jamestown, N.Y., spends time for the July Fourth weekend at Beach 6, Presque Isle State Park, near Erie, Pa., Saturday, July 4, 2020. (Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News via AP)
Surfers gather their belongings after being asked to leave by security patrolling the beach at Half Moon Bay State Park in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Friday, July 3, 2020. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the parking lots of state beaches to close for the Fourth of July weekend to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Half Moon Bay added to the closure by restricting visitors access to the beach. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
Surfers gather their belongings after being asked to leave by security patrolling the beach at Half Moon Bay State Park in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Friday, July 3, 2020. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the parking lots of state beaches to close for the Fourth of July weekend to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Half Moon Bay added to the closure by restricting visitors access to the beach. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
Michael Oliva, 32, wearing a flag joins other protesters in Chicago on Saturday, July 4, 2020, during the "Boycott 4th of July" rally against police brutality. (Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Michael Oliva, 32, wearing a flag joins other protesters in Chicago on Saturday, July 4, 2020, during the "Boycott 4th of July" rally against police brutality. (Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
Fireworks light the sky at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, July 3, 2020, near Keystone, S.D., after President Donald Trump spoke. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Fireworks light the sky at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, July 3, 2020, near Keystone, S.D., after President Donald Trump spoke. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Guests wait for a "Salute to America" event to start with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Guests wait for a "Salute to America" event to start with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Bicyclists pass a sign advising closed beaches at Half Moon Bay State Park in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Friday, July 3, 2020. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the parking lots of state beaches to close for the Fourth of July weekend to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Half Moon Bay added to the closure by restricting visitors access to the beach. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
Bicyclists pass a sign advising closed beaches at Half Moon Bay State Park in Half Moon Bay, Calif., Friday, July 3, 2020. California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the parking lots of state beaches to close for the Fourth of July weekend to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Half Moon Bay added to the closure by restricting visitors access to the beach. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group via AP)
President Donald Trump and fi rst lady Melania Trump watch Saturday as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House.
(AP/Patrick Semansky)
President Donald Trump and fi rst lady Melania Trump watch Saturday as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House. (AP/Patrick Semansky)
Revelers enjoy the beach at Coney Island, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Revelers enjoy the beach at Coney Island, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Guests wait for a "Salute to America" event to start and President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Guests wait for a "Salute to America" event to start and President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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