Lee Greenwood brought “God Bless the USA” to the National Mall on July 4, 2026, as President Donald Trump’s “Salute To America” marked the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence with what organizers billed as the largest fireworks display in world history.
The celebration, produced by Freedom 250, drew a large crowd to the Washington Monument Grounds at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A heavy rain delay pushed the event’s start from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., but Trump made clear the weather would not derail the night, posting on Truth Social: “Our great veterans, especially the old timers, many of whom are there, went through hellfire, and it didn’t stop them. It’s not going to stop us either! I’m not going to let some rain stop our 250th.” He posted again at 10:06 p.m. to announce his arrival at the venue.
Greenwood, Veterans, and a Presidential Address
Christopher Macchio, whom Trump has long called “America’s tenor,” opened the program at 11 p.m. with “Ave Maria” and Puccini’s “Nessun dorma” before leading the crowd in “God Bless America,” urging the audience to sing loudly enough for the president to hear. Greenwood followed, delivering “God Bless the USA” — a fixture at Trump events for a decade — alongside a choir of active service members before introducing Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the stage.
WATCH: Lee Greenwood Delivers an Unforgettable Performance of “God Bless the USA” For the Packed D.C. Crowd – 07/04/26 pic.twitter.com/y6iHgbsyKl
— RSBN (@RSBNetwork) July 5, 2026
Trump’s speech honored the nation’s history and spotlighted several veterans in attendance. Among them was 107-year-old Art Rose, a D-Day veteran who had read a letter home at the 2026 D-Day ceremony in Normandy, France. Also present was Don Graves, 101, a Battle of Iwo Jima veteran who last year — for his 100th birthday — had a song he wrote about that battle, “The Sand of Iwo Jima,” recorded by Greenwood and John Rich, making Graves the oldest signed songwriter in history. Trump also displayed one of the first American flags ever made during his remarks.
WATCH: @POTUS displays one of the very first American flags ever made during his Independence Day speech on the National Mall.
“These were the Stars and Stripes that flew triumphant when the British waved the white flag of surrender at Yorktown… Ever since, the entire world… pic.twitter.com/MRvKPBMKd8
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 5, 2026
“We have thrived and flourished because our founders were great, our cause was just, our people are brave, our culture is exceptional, and our destiny is written by God,” Trump told the crowd, adding that “the spirit of 1776 still lives within us all.”
A Toby Keith Send-Off and a Record Fireworks Finale
The night closed with a fireworks display that Trump described as “10 times larger than any that we’ve ever done in Washington or anywhere in the United States.” According to the Salute To America 250 website, 850,000 fireworks shells were launched from ten sites, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, eight Potomac River barges, and West Potomac Park. Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy reported a rate of 400 fireworks per second. NPR noted that the current world record — roughly 811,000 fireworks — was set by a megachurch in the Philippines in 2016. Pyrotechnico, the company behind the show, previously deployed 1,000 drones to form an American flag in smoke at MLB Opening Night in March. The display, which NPR reported organizers said would run 40 minutes, concluded just as rain moved back in.
During the fireworks, U.S. Army Band member Chris Rettig performed Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” a fitting tribute given Keith’s enduring connection to patriotic Americana.
Courtesy of the Red White and Blue by Toby Keith performed at the 250 celebration pic.twitter.com/XOGYMEcizJ
— Chief of the 804 (@teeHTTR) July 5, 2026
For country fans, the evening underscored the genre’s continued presence at major national events, with Greenwood’s signature anthem and a Keith classic anchoring one of the most elaborate Independence Day spectacles the nation’s capital has ever staged.
