‘Threatening’ Thunderstorms and Brutal Heat Force Evacuations at Great American State Fair — Right Before Trump’s Big Speech

Thunderstorms and scorching triple-digit temperatures forced the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C. to temporarily suspend events and to order attendees to evacuate on Saturday afternoon.

The postponement came just hours before President Donald Trump is set to give a big Fourth of July speech in the nation’s capital to honor the USA’s 250th birthday. Trump raved about the “INCREDIBLE” crowds that have flocked to D.C. for the Fair earlier on Saturday — and said the heat hasn’t been “as bad as predicted.” 

His post about the heat followed the Fair being temporarily shut down on Friday… because of the brutal weather.

Mother Nature smacked the Fair again on Saturday, with a high temperature of 104 degrees and lightening spurring the latest postponement.

CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam reported live from the scene on Saturday afternoon.

He reported the P.A. announcer told attendees to evacuate immediately because of the severe weather — before then pointing up at Air Force One as it flew overhead. Some of the attendees in the background cheered as the president’s plane flew by. Van Dam seemed concerned the attendees weren’t taking the evacuation notice seriously enough.

“There’s a lot of excitement here. People are not clearing out like they should be,” Van Dam said. “The thunderstorms are near. The event is postponed until further notice.”

People started to leave pretty soon after Van Dam’s report. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported about 35 minutes later that the Fair and FIFA Fan Zone were both “completely cleared out.”

Melugin reported the “National Guard and local law enforcement were ushering people out. Unclear if/when they will reopen. Thousands now wandering streets nearby streets.”

U.S. Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley called into Fox News on Saturday around 8:00 p.m. to talk about the postponement. She said the “rather threatening” lightening spurred authorities to evacuate the Fair “out of an abundance of caution.” Attendees were told to shelter inside The Smithsonian and other buildings nearby.

“Everything is delayed,” she said, “not postponed or canceled.”

Even before Friday and Saturday, the heat hasn’t helped attendance at the Great American State Fair, which is running from June 25 to July 10.

Trump said in his Truth Social post on Saturday that he plans on speaking around 10:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Memorial. He joked earlier in the week he was going to “make a really long speech,” even though it was going to be 107 degrees; his prediction was only off by a few degrees.

Watch Van Dam’s report in the video at the top, and watch Crowley’s interview on Fox News at the bottom.

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