The 250th anniversary of American independence was overshadowed by a lethal combination of extreme weather and gun violence that left dozens dead across the country, according to local authorities and emergency services. At least 25 people died from heat-related causes, with New Jersey’s health commissioner reporting 22 suspected fatalities in that state alone, while additional deaths were confirmed in Illinois and Mississippi. The heatwave, which the National Weather Service said placed roughly 160 million Americans under extreme heat alerts, saw temperatures in Washington D.C. reach 39.4°C, a record for the date, and pushed the heat index above 40°C in several eastern cities.

Severe thunderstorms that followed the record heat forced the temporary evacuation of the National Mall, delaying President Donald Trump’s speech by nearly two hours and prompting the cancellation of fireworks displays in multiple states. The storms brought down trees and power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without electricity across the Midwest and East Coast, with Pennsylvania and Michigan among the hardest hit. Flash flood warnings remained in effect for 34 million residents from Delaware to Connecticut, and forecasters warned of further heavy rainfall capable of triggering urban flooding.

A wave of gun violence during the extended holiday weekend claimed at least 33 lives and wounded dozens more, according to police departments and the Gun Violence Archive, which tracks such incidents. Chicago recorded the highest toll, with 11 people killed and at least 55 injured, including an eight-year-old boy. Shootings were also reported in New York, Florida, California, Indiana, Missouri, and several other states, with multiple mass casualty events. In Brooklyn, a masked gunman wounded eight people, including four children, at a family barbecue, while a drive-by shooting in Philadelphia killed a 19-year-old and injured six others.

In his rescheduled address, Trump described the United States as “the greatest achievement in human history” and vowed that “America will never be a communist country,” linking his warnings to progressive Democratic candidates ahead of midterm elections. He also urged Congress to pass legislation requiring proof of citizenship to vote. The speech, which several Democratic-led states declined to send official delegations to attend, blended patriotic commemoration with campaign-style rhetoric, a departure from the traditionally apolitical tone of past Independence Day observances.

Investigations into the shootings remain active, with arrests reported in some cases but no unified national tally of suspects. The heat-related death toll is considered provisional, as medical examiners continue to determine causes of death. Power restoration efforts are ongoing, and flood watches remain in place across the Northeast.