Trump: Americans ‘part of one of the greatest stories ever told'

Rain soaks president's 'show of a lifetime!'

By Kevin Liptak, CNN
CNN Video

(CNN) - Neither heavy rain nor a raft of criticism prevented President Donald Trump from delivering his "Salute to America" to a poncho-clad crowd on the National Mall on Thursday.

"Together we are part of one of the greatest stories ever told, the story of America. It is the epic tale of a great nation whose people have risked everything for what they know is right and what they know is true. It is the chronicle of brave citizens who never give up on the dream of a better and brighter future," Trump said from behind rain streaked bullet-proof glass after a flyover from the plane that normally serves as Air Force One.

In his remarks, Trump told Americans "we are part of one of the greatest stories ever told."

"Today, just as it did 243 years ago, the future of American Freedom rests on the shoulders of men and women willing to defend it," Trump said.

It was a speech heavy on history and plaudits for the military, which helped plan and execute the spectacle that Trump organized.

Severe weather and low cloud cover hung over the Washington area for much of the afternoon beforehand, leading to questions of whether the event would be canceled or curtailed.

At one point, loudspeakers at Trump's event at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington said the program that was supposed to start at 6:30 p.m. ET "has been delayed," but the White House later said the event would mostly start on time.

Trump's plans were a sharp change from how the holiday has been marked in the nation's capital by previous presidents from either party.



The Pentagon was wary of it, however, and the city of Washington openly opposed it. And even some White House officials wondered whether a speech meant to be apolitical would stay that way -- and whether crowds would materialize to watch it.

Bands heralded the branches of the military with their official march songs. M1 Abrams tanks transported by heavy rail sat on display.

There were be about 750 to 800 military personnel taking part in the celebration, a defense official told CNN. And that doesn't include the 900 hundred members of the DC National Guard who were activated to provide traffic control and security on the streets and in the subway system.


That left some of his aides working overtime to fill out the space along the Mall where he spoke. It wasn't clear ahead of the event that their efforts would be successful, and some people who were offered tickets this week -- including donors and administration officials -- said they'd already made other plans.

Trump addressed the masses in front of Abraham Lincoln's 19-foot marble likeness, framed by the iconic Doric columns of the 16th president's memorial. He faced a crowd of US military families, patriotic onlookers -- and ticketed VIPs, including some of his Republican allies.





The White House insisted Trump's speech would not be political and would instead honor the military and its service to the country. But Trump has a way of turning even official events into political moments, including at military installations, often to the delight of the rank-and-file troops he's addressing.









That isn't entirely truthful -- the planes used in the flyovers came from California, Missouri, Kentucky and Florida. And the costs of the event extend well beyond the military equipment.

